The date is Tuesday, October 6, 2015 and we made it. Finally. After 8 draining tedious seasons, the Mets have returned to the post-season. 90 wins netted us the second wildcard spot. In order to face St. Louis in the LDS and avenge 2006 all we must do is win a one-game wild card elimination. Jacob deGrom (18-9 3.25 ERA) vs. Clayton Kershaw (21-5, 2.73 ERA).

Kershaw seems to have finally shaken his post-season woes. That is, until the top of the 7th when Lucas Duda plants one beyond the RF wall knocking in Lagares and Wright. The Mets need just 9 more outs. But the 7th inning stretch galvanizes the capacity crowd. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins (of all people) notices the corner infielders playing back and legs out a perfectly executed bunt for a lead-off single. The fans get loud. Carl Crawford clobbers deGrom’s next offering. Curtis Granderson turns and runs, snagging the high fly against the wall for the first out. 27 year-old deGrom is rattled. He takes a deep breath, paces, tries to regroup and wipes the sweat from his brow as Yasiel Puig digs in. Puig splits two outfielders. A double. The Dodgers, trailing 3-0, have runners on second and third. The tying run, represented by Adrian Gonzalez (.279-32-118) steps to the plate.

Eight more stinkin’ outs. Mets fans are growing restless, anticipating the worst. 56,238 Dodgers fans rise to their feet in an attempt to unnerve the Mets starter. It’s all happened so quick that Terry Collins hasn’t had a chance to get someone loose. The Mets need to stall. DeGrom needs to calm down. Mets fans scream at the TV for Collins to go the mound and buy some time for the bullpen. Why isn’t Duda sharing some words of encouragement??? Why is David Wright, our captain, just standing there??? How come Travis d’Arnaud isn’t calling time and walking to the mound to calm down the young pitcher the way Gary Carter did with Doc Gooden? DeGrom, nervous, losing composure and about to blow it, is left all alone. What the hell is going on??? Is this the Twilight Zone??? Where’s Rod Serling???

Then we remember. “Oh, yea. We’ve used up our allotted time-outs.” Welcome to the Rob Manfred version of Major League Baseball. You know, the version where games took too darn long and needed to be sped up.

One of the countless aspects that make baseball the greatest game ever devised is the link from generation to generation. For well over a century the National Pastime has remained relatively unchanged. A .300 hitter means something, no matter if it’s me cheering Jose Reyes, my father cheering Jackie Robinson or my grandfather cheering Babe Herman. A 20-game winner is a 20-game winner, be it Doc Gooden, Tom Seaver or Christy Mathewson. 200 K’s means the same to Randy Johnson as it did to Walter Johnson. The only significant alteration to the rules occurred in 1973. And more than 40 years after one league installed the DH, fans are still divided.

The powers-that-be began tinkering with the Holy Grail of the game, the rule book, because of what transpired in Florida on May 25, 2011. On a play at home, Scott Cousins collided with Giants catcher Buster Posey. The defending Rookie of the Year suffered torn ligaments and a fractured fibula. For all intents and purposes, the Giants season was finished before Memorial Day. MLB felt, for whatever reason, changes needed to be made. And so began the descent down a perilous slope that could have a long lasting impact on the game we cherish.

There is nothing more exciting than witnessing a player rounding third and heading for home as the catcher plants his feet waiting for the relay throw. Nothing can bring an entire stadium to their feet quicker than anticipating a play at the plate. Both at the ballpark and watching from home our stomachs tighten. We hold our collective breath. Can the runner knock the ball free? Can the catcher apply the tag?

Beginning last year that thrilling aspect was removed. You could clearly see the confusion all season long. Runners were uncertain where their lane was. Catchers were tentative about where they were permitted to stand. Protecting a run became secondary to abiding to some silly rule. (As a side note, how many knew that the rule was amended during the season where catchers could NOT block the plate but position players COULD?)

Was Posey’s injury catastrophic? Absolutely. The 2011 Giants still managed to win 86 games, falling just 4 short of the wildcard. Surely, had Posey not been injured, he himself is worth 4 wins. However, MLB overreacted. Yes, catchers do get hurt. But that’s part of the game. And think about it. How often does that really occur? We see more injuries on routine plays. If MLB feels compelled to prevent injuries, what’s next?

More common is a batter pulling a hamstring sprinting down the 1B line trying to beat out a slow roller. How about a player rounding 2nd and turning on the afterburners. (Jose Reyes anyone?) We see players jamming thumbs stealing a base. Perhaps MLB should create a Designated Runner. We have a Designated Hitter so why not? Every player could have one DR assigned to them. Rosters would increase to 50, the union would be happy and star players we pay admission to see would never get hurt.

Another way to prevent injuries could be prohibiting outfielders from crashing into the wall. Hey, we already have a warning track. Let’s put it to good use. If the outfielder can’t catch the ball before trespassing onto the warning track, that’s just too darn bad. (If such a rule existed twenty years ago, think of all those extra games Ken Griffey Jr. would not have missed. He’d probably be the HR King, not Barry Bonds.)

And pitchers? They are both the highest paid AND most often injured. Maybe MLB should outlaw the curve ball. And while they’re at it, they can outlaw the fast ball, too. After all, more batters are injured getting hit by a pitch than runners colliding at the plate. Perhaps we should reduce a strikeout to two strikes, a walk to three balls? How about extending the base paths from 90 feet to 110 feet. C’mon, let’s get the baseball thing over with in a hurry so we can all go back to seeing which Kardashian is pregnant this week.

Of course I’m being sarcastic. But based on recent changes, I’m not ruling out anything. In the Arizona Fall League MLB looked into methods to speed up the game. Some of the changes tested include:

• Batter’s box rule: Hitter required to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box throughout at-bat unless there is foul ball, wild pitch or passed ball — or if a pitch forces him out or the umpire grants “time.”

• No-pitch intentional walks

• 20-second rule: 20-second clock will be posted in each dugout, behind home plate and in outfield to prevent pitchers from taking too much time.

• 2:05 inning-break clock: Maximum time allowed between innings, and batters must be in box at 1:45 mark or umpire can call automatic strike. If pitcher throws pitch after 2:05, umpire may call ball.

• Three “timeout” limit: Teams limited to three trips to the mound by managers, coaches and catchers during game, except pitching changes.

Commissioner Manfred is also looking into outlawing defensive shifts, removing strategy from the most strategic game there is. That in and of itself is a mixed signal and demonstrates MLB is utterly clueless. On one hand they install policies to make games shorter. On the other hand, recent changes do just the opposite.

With the advent of a ‘challenge’ or ‘play under review,’ the game that supposedly already moves too slowly now comes to a grinding halt. Players on the field, fans in the stands and viewers at home now watch with baited breath as umpires stand in a circle wearing headsets conversing with some guy in a darkened chamber high above Manhattan like the mysterious shadowy “banker” in that Howie Mandel game show. During the course of a game this alone could add anywhere from 8-12 minutes. If they’re willing to delay a game to make sure the call is correct, isn’t it equally important to honor the history of the game itself and not mess around with lunacy such as pitch clocks?

Another contradiction from the incoming commissioner is his desire to bring offense back to the game. Outlawing defensive shifts will see the return of 9-7 slugfests instead of well-played 3-2 pitching duels. Yet, we all know a 9-7 game takes longer to play than a 3-2 game.

Making games shorter will not help ratings. Those who find Baseball “boring” and “slow-moving” will not suddenly become fans and purchase Mike Trout jerseys. And those of us who are purists will take umbrage to tinkering with the very essence of the game we treasure, the game taught to us by our dad or older brother. They need to stop mucking up the beauty of Baseball with hare-brained attempts to outdraw Football. Yes, 112 million TV sets were tuned into the Super Bowl last weekend while an average of just 13.8 million viewers watched the World Series last October. But so what? Kanye West has sold more records than Jimi Hendrix. That doesn’t mean he’s better.

For more than 100 years Baseball has survived every conceivable transgression imaginable. Racists, bigots and anti-Semites have worn the uniform. But the game endured. Games have been fixed, an entire World Series was thrown. But the game endured. Some of the greatest players to ever walk on the field have been shamed and may never be enshrined in Cooperstown. But the game endured. Alcoholics, cocaine addicts and steroid users have played. But the game endured. Free agency, collusion, teams relocating, some franchises completely folded. But the game endured. Two World Wars and conflicts from Southeast Asia to Central America have taken place. But the game endured. On a Tuesday morning, terror came to New York City, Washington DC and western Pennsylvania. The game stopped. But after ten days, endured. Hopefully the game will be able to endure these potentially catastrophic changes.

“Baseball must be a great game. The owners haven’t found a way to kill it yet.” – Bill Veeck

The date is Tuesday, October 6, 2015 and we made it. Finally. After 8 draining tedious seasons, the Mets have returned to the post-season.

It’s the top of the 9th in Los Angeles. The Mets squandered a 3-0 lead and now trail 4-3. Closer Kenley Jansen is on the hill to close it out and send the Mets home on a long cross-country flight. After retiring the first 2 batters, 56,238 Dodgers fans are on their feet. They smell blood. Juan Lagares keeps our hopes alive and bloops one over the outstretched glove of Jimmy Rollins. Daniel Murphy fights off a wicked 0-2 cut fastball and shoots one down the first base line, just beyond the reach of Adrian Gonzalez. Lagares motors around to 3B.

Trailing 4-3, tying run on third and potential winning run at first. David Wright, candidate for Comeback Player of the Year (302-26-107) digs in. After falling behind 0-2, he fights off pitch after pitch after pitch. He fouls off close pitches, lays off others just off the black and works the count to 3-2. The capacity crowd is going crazy. Fans in New York are pacing in their living rooms.

Don Mattingly on the top step of the Dodger dugout. Terry Collins and various Mets on the top step of the visiting dugout. The camera, shaking due to vibration of chaotic screaming fans, scans the crowd. There’s Tommy LaSorda in the owner’s box staring wide-eyed at the field. We catch a glimpse of Jerry Seinfeld sitting behind the Mets dugout, cap pulled down over his eyes, too nervous to watch. We get a quick shot of Keith Hernandez in the broadcast booth, his hands clutching an imaginary bat, willing himself on the field as if its 1986 all over again. Catcher A.J. Ellis puts down one finger, pats his left thigh. Fast Ball inside. Jensen checks the runners and sets. Wright grips the bat.

Suddenly, as the fire-balling closer is ready to deliver, a slight breeze kicks up and blows something into Wright’s eye. The entire season is on the line. But David isn’t allowed to step out or ask for time because the rules now prohibit that since we need to get done quickly. Jensen fires a 98 MPH heater. And our entire season comes down to a one-eyed David Wright.

Thanks a lot Rob Manfred.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/02/thats-the-signpost-up-ahead-your-next-stop-the-manfred-zone.html/feed/0Tell Them Tommie Agee Was Herehttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/tell-them-tommie-agee-was-here.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/tell-them-tommie-agee-was-here.html/#commentsThu, 29 Jan 2015 12:31:05 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=173964The date was Monday, January 22, 2001. The weather in New York was brisk. The Twin Towers stood proud and dominated the skyline. The city was just three months removed from the first Subway Series in over four decades and Baseball Fever still filled the air.

In midtown Manhattan, a 58 year old, African-American, mortgage insurance salesman walked out of an office building. He clutched his chest and collapsed onto the frozen sidewalk.

By the time the EMT workers arrived, the man was in cardiac arrest. Attempts to revive him on the way to Bellevue Hospital proved futile and the individual was pronounced dead at 1:05 PM. His name: Tommie Agee.

When we look back at critical plays at crucial moments throughout World Series history, many of them are related to 6 or 7 game Series. A bloop hit by Luis Gonzalez, a ground ball that ‘gets by Buckner,’ a missed third strike by Mickey Owen. It’s hard to imagine that one player could have such an impact in a short 5 game series. But that is exactly what Tommie Agee meant to the Mets in 1969. It’s very conceivable that had it not been for Agee, we would have just the one championship in 1986.

Tommie Lee Agee was born on August 9, 1942 in Magnolia, Alabama. He was a college star at Grambling and ultimately was signed by the Cleveland Indians. Although his first big league at-bat happened on Sept 14, 1962, it wasn’t until 1966 he became a full time player for the White Sox. Agee thrived in his everyday role and in his first full season walloped 22 Home Runs, knocked in 86 runs, slugged .447, scored 98 runs, and stole 44 bases on his way to winning the AL Rookie of the Year.

The following year, however, his productivity dropped substantially. He batted just .234, hit 14 homers, and struck out 129 times. The ChiSox wasted no time in casting off this ‘one year wonder’ and dealt him to the Mets along with Al Weis for Jack Fisher, Tommy Davis and a pair of minor leaguers.

The 1968 season started with hope for the Mets. We now had two former Rookie of the Year winners in Agee and Tom Seaver, and a young pitcher named Jerry Koosman was also showing promise. We also had a new manager in the much revered Gil Hodges. On Opening Day, the Mets jumped out to an early 4-0 lead against future Hall of Famer Juan Marichal. However, our bullpen failed., the Giants scored three in the bottom of the 9th, and it became clear from that day on that 1968 would be no different than the years prior. Agee had been beaned in Spring Training by Bob Gibson and never got on track. He started the season going 0-34, and things didn’t really improve much for him for the rest of the season. In 132 games, he batted a disappointing .217 with just five homers and an embarrassing 17 RBI.

When the 1969 season began, Mets fans, as we always do, hoped for the best but somewhat expected the worst. Gil Hodges saw something in his center fielder. Although Agee didn’t have the natural talent of a Seaver or Nolan Ryan, he worked hard and made the most of his skills. Teammates always described Number 20 as intelligent, hard working, and a real winner. Despite having a pitiful ’68 season, Hodges stood by Agee and he quickly rewarded his manager, his teammates and the Mets faithful.

On April 10, 1969, Tommie Agee put the NL on notice that he was back! He blasted a home run that would reach the upper deck at Shea. (Insert theme from The Natural.) Only 8,608 fans were on hand that day. The game was not televised so there is no footage.

On-deck hitter Rod Gaspar said, “I’ve never seen a ball hit like that.” Buddy Harrelson stated, “The ball was still climbing.” Although Shea was only six years old at the time, people assumed that eventually someone would probably hit a ball that far again. It never happened. That blast by Agee became the longest home run ever hit at Shea Stadium.

The Miracle of the 69 season quickly came into doubt during the Fall Classic. Tom Seaver, with a record of 25-7 and a 2.21 ERA started Game One. Don Buford welcomed the Mets into the World Series by hitting a lead-off HR. The Mets lost 4-1 and people wondered if the dream was over. The Miracle was in doubt. However, behind the masterful pitching of Jerry Koosman in Game 2, the Mets prevailed 2-1, splitting the two games in Baltimore and now returning home to Big Shea.

56,335 fans attended Game 3, the first World Series game ever played at Shea. It was Agee who stepped to the forefront. Leading off against future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, Agee opened the game with a homer and quickly put the Mets on top. However, the best was yet to come.

The Mets led 3-0 in the top of the 4th. With runners on 1st and 3rd and two outs, Elrod Hendricks hit a shot deep into left center field. Agee ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Approaching the wall at full speed, Agee never slowed down. As he said years later, “I would have run right through that wall if I needed to.” Agee made a spectacular backhanded snow cone catch that saved at least two runs. As he trotted off the field, with the white of the ball still in the webbing, Shea erupted like never before. But he was not done yet.

In the 7th, the Mets were now leading 4-0, but Baltimore, winner of 109 games during the season, showed why they were the class of the AL. They refused to roll over. They loaded the bases. Paul Blair, the tying run, stepped to the plate and Hodges brought in Nolan Ryan from the bullpen. Blair greeted Ryan by hitting one deep into right-center field. Once again, Agee sped into the power alley. The possibility of him making TWO great catches seemed impossible and unlikely. But at the last minute, the wind grabbed hold of the ball. Agee extended, dove for the ball, snared the sinking liner, slid onto the warning track and rolled over. The ball was in his glove. Had he not made the catch, it most likely would have been an inside-the-park home run and tied the game at 4-4.

The Mets won the game 5-0, and would go on to win the series in five games. “The homer meant one run,” Agee said, “But the catches saved more than that.”

Agee’s catches also signified the dawning of a new age for the Mets. We would no longer be the laughing stock of baseball. The lovable losers were on their way to becoming Champions.

Sports Illustrated ranked Agee’s catches as among the best in World Series history along with Willie Mays in 1954, Sandy Amoros in 1955 and Al Gionfriddo in 1947. They also went on to claim that Agee’s performance in Game 3 was the best ever by a center fielder in World Series history. The point can be argued that if it was not for Tommie Agee in Game 3, the Orioles may have quite possibly won the game, salvaged at least one of the three in New York and forced the series to return to Baltimore. And who knows how things may have turned out if that would have happened. Thanks to Tommie Agee, none of that was necessary.

Agee led the team in home runs, RBI and runs scored that season and also won NL Comeback Player of the Year award. Although 1969 was his high point, Tommie continued to be a major part of the Mets the following season. In 1970 he put together a 20 game hitting streak, hit for the cycle one day in July and even stole home in the tenth inning to win a game. Mets management was so pleased with his performance, they increased his salary to $40,000. However, by 1974, he was out of baseball as injuries would cut short his career. After batting just .227 with 13 home runs in 1972, the Mets traded him to Houston for Rich Chiles and Buddy Harris. He played for Houston and St. Louis in 1973, then was traded to Los Angeles, but failed to make the team out of spring training and at age 30, our World Series hero retired.

He went on to open ‘The Outfielder’s Lounge’ close to Shea and ultimately worked for Stewart Title Insurance. He remained very active promoting the Mets around the city and spent his later years taking part in numerous charities and baseball clinics.

“He was such a good athlete and a real good friend.,” teammate Kenny Boswell said after Agee passed away. Right fielder and fellow champion Ron Swoboda added, “The way he conducted himself on and off the field, both during and after his career, was admirable. He was taken way too soon.”

Too soon indeed. Thanks for all the memories, Tommie.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/tell-them-tommie-agee-was-here.html/feed/0Featured Post: Do The Mets “Have The Horses” To Win?http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/featured-post-do-the-mets-have-the-horses-to-win.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2015/01/featured-post-do-the-mets-have-the-horses-to-win.html/#commentsWed, 28 Jan 2015 15:46:05 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=173699It was the 7th game of the World Series, a heavyweight championship bout, and the Kentucky Derby all rolled into one. There was a definite buzz in the air during the summer of 1960 leading up to the presidential election. In one corner was Republican Richard Nixon. Fresh off 8 years as Vice President, Americans were already familiar with him. In the other corner was a young, vibrant John Kennedy, a man who at forty three would be the second youngest president in history. Pundits predicted it would be a nail biter.

As Election Day neared, a photo of Nixon was circulated. Grinning slyly and appearing smarmy, the caption read “Would YOU buy a used car from this man?”

After more than 68,000,000 ballots were cast on November 8, 1960, Kennedy prevailed by a mere 112,827 votes, 49.7% to 49.6%. Did one simple picture posing one simple question make the difference? Americans didn’t trust Nixon to lead the nation. They didn’t want to buy a used car from him.

Fast-forward fifty five years.

The Mets were floundering. From 2001-2004, they played .455 ball and finished a collective 92 games back. Ownership, now flush with a shipload of cash from the USS Madoff and the promise of a new ballpark in 2009, urged their new GM to go on a spending spree and bring in some pizazz. And boy, did he ever. Over the next few years, they handed out millions like candy. Contracts offered to Carlos Beltran, Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, Johan Santana, Jason Bay, Shawn Green, Luis Castillo and Tom Glavine totaled more than half a billion dollars. The return on the investment? One post-season that ended shockingly in an upset to the Cardinals. That sure didn’t work out too well.

Enter Sandy Alderson whose job it was to right the ship. The new course was for the Mets to win the old-fashioned way. We’d rebuild the farm system. We’d go with youth. We’d win with a roster flush with homegrown players just like we always have. We’d shy away from splashy trades and long-term contracts. Weary fans applauded the new direction. Yes, yes, a homegrown championship, just like before.

Nothing could be further from the truth. No team in history, not even our beloved Mets, has ever won with only homegrown talent.

1969 was actually shaping up to be a decent year. For the first time in our history, the Amazins actually had an outside shot to finish over .500. At the trading deadline we were 30-26 and nine games behind the powerhouse Chicago Cubs. And that’s when management acted. Four players were sent to the Montreal Expos in exchange for Donn Clendenon. Buddy Harrelson would later state this was the turning point of the season. It indicated to the guys in uniform that the guys in suits were willing to take the next step, that they believed. With this acquisition the Mets now possessed a legitimate power hitter in the middle of the lineup. Clendenon would go deep 12 times in 14 weeks. The Mets would go 70-36 after the trade.

When we think back to ‘69, we like to think we did it with just the kids. Homegrown talent like Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Cleon Jones and Gary Gentry definitely did their part. But it was the players acquired that cinched the deal. Clendenon would become the first player in history to hit three home runs in a five-game World Series. His performance would earn him the World Series MVP. Tommie Agee, who arrived the previous year, led the team in home runs and RBIs and single-handedly – or perhaps single glovedly – won Game 3. Yes, the kids were an integral part. But would the Mets have won their first championship without key big additions like Agee and Clendenon?

Four years later, we were back in the Fall Classic. Many kids remained from that first championship club and now had the experience of post-season baseball. But it was players who’d been traded for that made the difference in 1973.

Felix Millan came from Atlanta that spring. In addition to solid defense, he led the team in hits (185) and batting average (290). Rusty Staub, obtained the previous season, was the team’s leader in RBIs, setting a new team record with 105. He also led the Mets in on-base percentage (.361) and doubles (36), while finishing second in base hits, batting average and slugging percentage.

On the pitching side we had the most intimidating trio of starters in the NL. But in 1973, homegrown Seaver, Koosman and Matlack were just a combined 6 games over .500. It was George Stone, acquired in the same trade that brought Millan over, that made the difference. Stone was 12-3, nine games over .500 for a team that was only three games over at 82-79. Without George Stone, the Mets don’t win. Without Stone, Millan and Staub, the Mets get no pennant.

Oh, and the young pitching we had. Doc Gooden, Ron Darling and Sid Fernandez. But it was Bobby Ojeda, 18-5, 2.57 who the Mets traded for the previous winter that led the team in wins and ERA. His +13 was higher than Doc, Darling or El Sid.

The MVP of the 86 Series? Ray Knight, who like Clendenon, had been acquired through a trade.

In 2006, the Mets returned to the post-season for what we believed would be the first of many. We were on the cusp of recapturing the city from the Yankees thanks to a pair of exciting youngsters named David Wright and Jose Reyes. The Mets collected 97 victories and finished 12 games ahead of the second place Phillies. But it was a pair of Carlos’ who spearheaded the offensive assault all summer long. Carlos Beltran was an offensive juggernaut and led the team in runs score, home runs, slugging, OBP, and he tied Wright for first in RBIs. Carlos Delgado added not only a stellar glove at first, but slammed 38 homers while knocking in 114 RBIs. Without Beltran and Delgado, two key acquisitions, there’s no post-season in 2006.

In just over two months the 2015 Mets, a team largely comprised of homegrown talent and kids, will take the field against Max Scherzer and the Nationals. The goal is to return to the post-season for the first time in almost a decade and hopefully capture our first pennant since 2000 and maybe, just maybe, win a championship for the first time since Ronald Reagan was president. How confident are you?

Can outfielder Curtis Granderson lead the team the way outfielder Rusty Staub did in 1973? Can one-time Red Sox Bartolo Colon replicate the performance of another one time Red Sox named Ojeda? Can catcher Travis d’Arnaud, imported from Canada, lead team the way another catcher from Canada once did?

Will this team unseat the defending NL East Champions? Have they done enough to jump from a 79 win team to a 90 win team? Everyone from the players on down to the coaches, manager and front office say yes. But that’s expected, nobody goes into Spring Training and tells reporters they’re going to stink.

The Mets are selling. More importantly Mets owner Fred Wilpon is selling. And he’s hoping you’re buying. Last week he said the Mets now have “the horses to win,” but when pressed for details Wilpon refused to comment and would only defer to his GM.

The Mets have put together an exciting bunch, and as far as pitching goes they have what it would take to make a legitimate run. But pitching alone doesn’t win games, do the Mets have the offense and defense to compliment their rotation and bullpen?

During previous championship runs, Mets brass always acted when they knew they had the young core to challenge for a title. They went out and added all star caliber players who were in their prime to support the team and maximize their chances to win it all.

Throughout Baseball’s glorious history there have been hundreds of players idolized in their hometown. Occasionally, but seldom, does a player come along whose greatness extends beyond the city where they play.

And then there’s Roberto Clemente, the first ballplayer to be revered on two continents.

On the final day of the 1972 season, Clemente doubled off Mets rookie Jon Matlack. It was the 3,000th hit of his illustrious career, a watershed mark only reached by ten others. People across North America and Latin America cheered. Three months later, Roberto Clemente died. People across North America and Latin America cried.

He was the first Latin player to win an MVP. He was the first Latin player to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. He was the first Latin player to win a World Series as a starter. He was the first Latin player to win a World Series MVP.

He retired with a .317 career BA, 240 HR, and 3,000 hits. He was an MVP, a four-time batting champ, 15-time All-Star, and winner of 12 consecutive Gold Gloves from 1961-1972. No outfielder, not even Willie Mays, has more.

Roberto Clemente was born August 18, 1934 in Barrio San Anton, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven. To help his struggling family, Roberto worked alongside his father loading and unloading trucks in sugar fields. But he always had his eye on the game he loved.

Upon turning 18, he was signed by Pedrin Zorilla for the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League. He played some games at SS but mostly rode the pine. The following year, playing full time and batting leadoff for the Santurce Crabbers, Clemente batted .288. He was offered a contract by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Clemente followed in the footsteps of another trailblazer, Jackie Robinson, and played for the Triple-A Montreal Royals. Due to language difficulties, prejudice and ethnic clashes, Clemente struggled mightily and hit a disappointing .257. He was picked up by Pittsburgh in the rookie draft in November of 1954. Five weeks later, his older brother, Luis, died tragically on New Year’s Eve.

Roberto made his Pirates debut on April 17, 1955 and encountered much of the same prejudices he faced in Montreal. He was a Latino who spoke little English. He was of mixed-African descent. Just eight years removed from Jackie Robinson, Americans were still adjusting to breaking the color barrier. The Pirates were only the 5th team in the NL with a “minority” player. The young Clemente expressed frustration about racial tension, both coming from teammates and the Pittsburgh media. To lessen the impact of having a “foreigner” on their team, Pirates announcers called him Bobby Clemente.

Stress got to him throughout his career, manifesting itself in chronic insomnia. He once stated, “If I slept better I could hit .400.”

In his rookie season, Clemente managed a meager .255 betting average, but his defensive prowess caught everyone’s attention. Part of the reason for the lower than anticipated BA was that during that summer, Clemente was nearly killed when his car was plowed into by a drunk driver. He injured his back. It would plague him the rest of his career.

Pittsburgh sought out former Hall of Famer George Sisler to work with their young phenom. It paid off. The following year, 1956, Clemente batted .311. In a game against the Cubs, he became the only player in history to hit a walk-off grand slam inside-the-park home run.

1958 saw the Clemente-led Pirates finish over .500 and produce a winning season for the first time in a decade.

Each winter, Clemente returned home to play winter ball, reconnect with friends and to work with multiple charities. Except in ’58. That winter, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserves and spent six months training at Parris Island.

In 1960, Clemente’s Bucs won the pennant for the first time in 33 years. They upset the heavily favored Yankees in a classic 7-game series. That season, Clemente batted .314 and was elected to the All-Star Game for the first time. There would be 14 more.

In 1964, Clemente led the NL in batting (.339) and hits (211) along with 40 doubles and scoring 95 runs. After the season he returned home with fellow countryman Orlando Cepeda where he was greeted by 18,000 adoring fans at the airport. The following month, as he and his bride Vera Zabala exchanged wedding vows, thousands cheered them outside the church.

Clemente had it all. He played with the flair of Willie Mays, the swagger of Mickey Mantle and exuded the quiet confidence of Hank Aaron. His batting stance, the way he’d uncoil on a pitch like a cobra, was a sight to behold. The manner he rounded the bases with long loping strides, elbows and knees everywhere, was unforgettable. The way he’d wait in the on-deck circle on one knee and crane his neck hard to the right and left was mimicked by young kids on ball fields and backyards across America. He possessed one of the strongest and most accurate arms the game had ever seen. Vin Scully said of him, “He could catch a ball in New York and throw out a guy in Pennsylvania.”

On July 24, 1970, the Pirates played their final game at Forbes Field, their home since 1909, and moved into Three Rivers Stadium. Management also decided to honor their greatest star since Honus Wagner with “Roberto Clemente Night.” It was an emotional evening for number 21. “I spent half my life here,” he said. He received a scroll of over 300,000 signatures from his native Puerto Rico. Clemente used the opportunity to put forth a plea for businesses to donate to local charities. They did.

In 1971, the Pirates won 97 games and captured the NL East crown. They defeated the Giants in four games in the LCS and faced the defending World Champion Orioles, winners of 100 games and fresh off a 3-game sweep of the up-and-coming young Oakland A’s. Before game one of the Fall Classic, the confident Clemente stated to a reporter, “Nobody does anything better than me in Baseball.” After losing the first two, Pittsburgh won 4 of the next 5 and captured the Championship. Clemente batted .414 in the series, made numerous stellar defensive plays, and hit a decisive home run in Game 7 that gave Pittsburgh the 2-1 win.

Age, however, was beginning to take its toll. In 1970, he amassed just 412 AB. In 1972, at age 37, he missed 54 games with nagging injuries, but in what would be his final season, Clemente still batted .312.

The man who once said, “I’m convinced God wanted me to be a ballplayer” would never again play baseball.

On December 23, 1972, less than 3 months after recording his 3000th hit, a massive earthquake rocked Managua, Nicaragua. Aid was not reaching the victims as supplies were being stolen by the corrupt Somoza government. People were dying. People were hungry. People were scared. And the man who tirelessly worked with charities his entire life refused to sit back and watch.

Roberto Clemente believed his presence and reputation would put an end to the pilfering of Nicaragua’s leaders. He chartered a flight from Puerto Rico to personally deliver aid. On December 31, 1972, the Pirates’ legend helped load a plane, just as he had helped his father load trucks decades earlier. He was assisted by an Expos pitcher named Tom Walker who happened to be playing winter ball. Walker wanted to assist Clemente with delivering aid but Clemente wouldn’t let him. Walker was single. Clemente told him to go out and have fun. It was New Years Eve after all.

The Douglas DC-7 had a history of mechanical problems and the flight crew was inexperienced. The plane was overloaded by more than two tons and shortly after lifting off, it fell to the ocean just off the coast of Isla Verde.

As fans in the US and across Latin America mourned the untimely tragic death of the greatest Hispanic player to ever play the game, Clemente’s teammates gathered for his funeral. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn said in his eulogy, “He gave the term ‘complete’ a new meaning. He made the word ‘superstar’ seem inadequate.” The following season, Major League Baseball began bestowing the Roberto Clemente Award to the major leaguer with outstanding skill who is also heavily involved in charitable work and active in the local community.

Noticeably absent from the funeral was Clemente’s longtime teammate and best friend on the Pirates, catcher Manny Sanguillen. Rather than attending the service, Sanguillen flew down to Puerto Rico and spent days searching underwater for his friend’s body. It was never found.

Roberto Clemente left behind a wife, three small children, millions of fans and an indelible mark on the game God wanted him to play.

He played 16 years at Forbes Field and two at Three Rivers. Now, outside PNC Park stands a statue of Clemente where old and new generations of fans can see and appreciate Roberto the man, Roberto the player, and Roberto the legend.

FOOTNOTE: The unattached Expos pitcher, Tom Walker, who Clemente talked out of joining him that fateful night, would eventually marry and have a family. His son, Neil is a second baseman. For the Pirates.

Titanic is one of Hollywood’s most successful films. Winner of an unprecedented 11 Academy Awards, the James Cameron blockbuster ran 3 hours 14 minutes. The Kevin Costner classic Dances With Wolves won 7 Academy Awards and was exactly 3 hours. The most frequently quoted movie of the last 20 years is Pulp Fiction. Tarantino’s masterpiece was nominated for 7 Oscars and ran over 2 ½ hours. And then there’s the unforgettable Crossroads starring Britney Spears. That movie ran 94 minutes.

If Major League Baseball has their way, the future will give us more Britney and fewer Big Kahuna Burgers.

MLB is presently testing new methodologies in the Arizona Fall League to make games quicker. Some of these changes include a pitch clock, limited visits to the mound and merely announcing an intentional walk rather than tossing four wide of the strike zone.

Games are definitely getting longer. When Jerry Koosman induced a fly ball off the bat of Davey Johnson and gave the Mets their first title, the game was completed in 2 hours and 14 minutes. 17 years later when Jesse Orosco fanned Marty Barrett to give the Mets their second title the game took 3 hours and 11 minutes. Same 8 ½ innings of baseball, yet taking one hour longer. One obvious reason are pitching changes.

Back in the day starters were expected to go nine innings. The bullpen was filled with guys who were simply not quite good enough to start. During the 1970’s, the “closer” became an integral part of the game. It was tantamount to creating a new position. Rollie Fingers, Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter became household names. And now starters only needed to go eight innings.

The 80’s saw the advent of the “set-up man.” And with that starters simply had to get through seven. Just get us to the bullpen. There was also the arrival of long relief/middle inning guys so if a starter had nothing, rather than pitching out of tight spots, he could be yanked early. Teams also began maintaining players whose job is simply to face one batter, be it a lefty specialist or a ground ball pitcher whose job it is to generate a double play.

In 1973 Tom Seaver won the Cy Young Award. He earned $130,000 while tossing 290 innings. By comparison, the Giants’ Javier Lopez, a player who primarily comes in to face one or two batters, earned $4 million this season while tossing all of 37.2 IP. Of course salaries have skyrocketed since 1973, but this shows the premium management is willing to dole out for a seldom used yet important piece of the puzzle.

However, it does work. The KC Royals became AL Champions living by the rule of only getting 5+ from their starters. Twenty years ago that was unheard of. Relievers, once thought of as nothing more than a place to stockpile mediocre pitchers, has now become a key component to winning.

The 1986 World Series between the Mets and Red Sox went seven games and featured 29 pitching changes. The 2014 Series between the Giants and Royals went 7 games but featured 44 pitching changes.

Average game time of the 7-game 1973 World Series was 3:08 but that included two extra inning contests. Five of the seven games were completed in under 2:45. By contrast, the 7-game 2014 World Series, which included no extra innings, had an average time of 3:30. The quickest game was 3:09.

This winter MLB is tinkering with the very essence and beauty of the game by trying to solve a problem they themselves created.

Owners no longer view players as ‘athletes’ but rather as ‘investments.’ And rightfully so. When teams hand over $137 million to Johan Santana, $180 million to Justin Verlander or nearly a quarter of a billion to Clayton Kershaw, managers damn well better treat the investment with care. You don’t buy a Lamborghini and fill it at ARCO.

Can you imagine the bedlam that would erupt if Don Mattingly overused Kershaw and ruined his elbow in the first year of a multi-year deal?

Ballplayers—particularly pitchers—are coddled, pampered and yes, babied, more than ever. No one paid attention to pitch counts for Nolan Ryan or Steve Carlton. But those guys weren’t long-term investments. So, yes, pitchers are coddled. But in large part fault should be placed at the feet of MLB.

Prior to 1969 the team with the best record in each league met in the World Series. Done. MLB then expanded, first to two divisions, then three. They added the LCS, the LDS, one wildcard and then a second one. In 1698, 2 out of 20 teams (1 out of 10) advanced to the ‘post-season.’ In 2014, 10 out of 30 teams (1 out of 3) advance.

MLB and owners embraced this idea. And why not? More post-season slots means fans will continue paying admission since their team now has a chance. Previously, stadiums would be empty throughout September. But not anymore. Nowadays, to be in a pennant race, you don’t even need to be good, just slightly above mediocre. 82, 83 wins will get you in the fight. The Mets this season finished below 500 winning just 79 games but only missed the playoffs by 9 games. By contrast the 1976 Mets won 86 games, yet missed the playoffs by 15 games.

In 1954 the NY Giants became World Champions. It took 158 games. 60 years later, the SF Giants became World Champions. It took 179 games. That’s a 13% increase in the season.

October 2, 1954, Willie Mays and company were crowned best in the game. On October 2 2014, Hunter Pence and company hadn’t even played the first game of the LDS.

With MLB extending the season—not only to 162 games from 154—but almost one full month of playoffs, investments are put in jeopardy. That’s an extra month of players risking an injury. That’s an extra month of possibly pulling a hamstring or breaking a finger sliding into second. It’s an extra month of superstars like Buster Posey and Salvador Perez getting beat up behind the plate. And since much of the big money is locked up in long term contracts for pitchers, that’s more stress on the arms, elbows and shoulders of Kershaw, Verlander, Strasburg and Shields. Giants ace Madison Bumgarner threw 217 innings this season. Then he threw another 52.2 over 3+ weeks in October.

The powers-that-be have brought this full circle. MLB (and owners) want to make more money so they add more opportunity to advance into October which in turn keeps fans paying admission which makes more money which keeps fans tuning in on TV which makes more money from commercials which leads to a month long stretch of post-season games which keep fans paying admission and keeps the revenue flowing in from advertisers which means managers will be forced to manage differently and make more pitching changes which of course means more commercial breaks which translates into longer games which comes full circle with MLB declaring games are too long. Huh???

The irony is that installing a pitch clock and other ludicrous proposals will accomplish nothing. People who find Baseball “slow moving” and “boring” will not suddenly start watching in droves because of a pitch clock. And those of us who are purists only take offense and find ourselves drifting ever so slowly away from the game we’ve loved since childhood.

If you think the game is too long, turn it off. If it’s the 7th inning and you feel a need to keep up with Kardashians or see who gets eliminated on Dancing with the Stars go right ahead. If you need to leave the ballpark because you have a dinner reservation somewhere, feel free to leave.

Baseball is what it is. Closers, set-up men, long relievers, pitching changes, extra rounds of playoffs and now plays under review aren’t going away any time soon. Are games longer than they used to be? Yes. Are they too long? No.

Since the 18th century, despite world wars, attacks on our soil, presidential assassinations, numerous scandals, steroids, collusion, drugs, games being fixed and mostly incompetent commissioners, the game has remain largely unchanged. Although Baseball is declining in popularity (the 2014 World Series was the second lowest rated ever) let’s hope that deviations to the fabric of the game, the very rules we hold close to our heart, don’t result in the final nail in the coffin.

Next time you have a couple hours to kill and feel like watching a movie, would you rather sit through Crossroads because it’s shorter or see Vincent Vega accidentally shooting Marvin in the face?

In one of the opening scenes of the film Goodfellas we hear a voice-over from Henry Hill played brilliantly by Ray Liotta who describes the downside of going into business with a mob boss named Paulie. If he has trouble with the cops, deliveries, etc. he can always call Paulie. But now he’s gotta come up with Paulie’s money every week, no matter what, without fail… or else.

In many ways, this is similar to how Mets ownership currently operates. In May, Mets fans were affronted with an insulting letter, sent by a marketing department with a high school mentality on behalf of an ownership, that asked for a “Declaration of Loyalty.”

From 2009 through 2013, the Mets posted five consecutive losing seasons and a meager .462 winning percentage. Despite this, almost 12.5 million fans paid their way into Citi Field to watch this unsuccessful product. Apparently, in the minds of ownership, that does not constitute loyalty. They still want more.

Haven’t played .500 baseball? ***k you, pay me.

Six straight losing seasons? ***k you, pay me.

Even more offensive was Sandy Alderson’s comment last Spring, when he claimed that if more people showed up at the games, he’d have more money to spend and could improve the product.

I’m no entrepreneur. I’ve never owned a business, nor have I been a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I have a little ol’ Liberal Arts degree from a mediocre university, not an MBA from Stanford. But even I have the common sense to know that business does NOT operate that way.

This post-season we’ve all been bombarded with commercials by Ford and Chevy. Ford touts the towing capacity of their F-150 and Chevy brags about the many bells and whistles on their vehicles. But if the Wilpons ran General Motors, they’d want us— no, expect us—to purchase a 2015 model while telling us how much better the 2018 model will be.

Successful businesses thrive on loyalty and repeat business. But in Flushing loyalty is a one way street. With one hand ownership slaps us in the face while their other hand slips into our pocket to grab our wallet.

Haven’t made the postseason since 2006? ***k you, pay me.

Haven’t been in a pennant race since 2008? ***k you, pay me.

When Citi Field opened in 2009, it was immediately criticized for completely ignoring Mets tradition and history. US Cellular Field displays images of past White Sox heroes on their outfield wall. Busch Stadium has two massive Cardinals high atop the scoreboard. The right field wall at PNC is 21 feet high, a tribute to Roberto Clemente. The perimeter around AT&T Park has statues of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal. By contrast, when you walk into Citi Field, you can be walking into any team’s stadium. You have to look hard to see ‘Let’s Go Mets’ in the outfield. It’s smaller in size than logos for Goya and Fox News.

Only after much public outcry and pressure from fans and the media did management finally react and established a Mets Hall of Fame, changed the color of the outfield wall from black to blue, and added player banners and art around the stadium and parking lot. Paying tribute to our own storied past was never even initially considered. Honoring the ’69 and ’86 teams, and paying homage to iconic Mets like Tom Seaver, Keith Hernandez and Dwight Gooden simply never occurred to the Wilpons. That in and of itself says a lot.

The facade of the stadium, while impressive, carries no significance to most fans. The Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game in New York five years before the Mets came into existence. How many of us have any memories or sentimental attachment to Ebbets Field other than some stories from your grandparents who once supported the Dodgers? When the Expos relocated to our nation’s capital, they didn’t design their park to resemble Griffith Stadium where the Senators played for 71 years.

Think of the contrast in mindsets. Original Mets owner Joan Payson was a die-hard New York Giants fan who even sat on their board. She was one of only two dissenting votes prohibiting her team from moving west. However, when her new team moved into Shea Stadium seven years later, there were no signs, no links and no references to the Giants. The Giants were dead to her and it was now all about the Mets. By comparison, Fred Wilpon elected to design a stadium honoring the team he rooted for as a boy, rather than the team he’s owned since 1980 and that us fans have supported all our lives. Citi Field is Fred’s temple and a monument to his childhood.

Not enough Mets history for you? ***k you, pay me.

Want to see your Mets heroes honored? ***k you, pay me.

Despite the fact Davey Johnson was our most successful manager and the only skipper at that time to lead the Mets to two post-seasons, he was fired in 1990. GM Frank Cashen knew there would be backlash. However, he also knew he still needed fans to come out to Flushing. Cashen lessened the blow by hiring Bud Harrelson. One of the most beloved Mets and connected to the franchise for over three decades, Biddy connected with fans both as a gritty hard-nosed player and then as a well-respected and successful coach. He was a 1969 Miracle Mets icon, and Cashen knew it would please the fans. Cashen connected with the fans and respected their bond to the team.

Today, the attitude is different. Wally Backman, like Harrelson, has been a fan favorite and has served the Mets with distinction for a long time. He was, like Buddy, another blue-collar guy and hard-nosed player. And like Buddy, he is one of a handful of Mets who can call himself a champion. However, despite guiding his Triple-A team to two consecutive postseasons, he was passed over once again as Mets manager. The front office and ownership chose to retain Terry Collins, the only manager in our history to post four straight losing seasons.

I don’t know if Wally would be a good manager or not. But based on his winning ways, both as player and manager, and his long standing affiliation with this organization, he at least deserves his shot. And we deserve to see him in the dugout. When hearing of the decision to bring back Collins, did any of you jump online and instantly buy season tickets for 2015, or did your stomach sour as mine did?

Don’t care for our choice as manager? ***k you, pay me.

Want someone with a winning pedigree to lead the team? ***k you, pay me.

Current ownership takes Mets fans for granted. They ignore the past, have yet to deliver on the present, and only offer blanket promises about the future.

In 2009, the Mets drew nearly 3.2 million fans, 7th most in Major League Baseball. This past season, the Mets drew 2.1 million, a drop off of 33% in six years, ranking 21st. To put that into context, the Twins, Padres, Phillies, Reds, Cubs, Rangers and Rockies — all teams that play in smaller markets and all teams that won fewer games — drew more fans. As ownership continues to demand our loyalty, attendance continues to plummet.

Most Met fans are believers and are positive by nature. We want to believe… We love our rich history and our iconic players… We love to wear our Mets gear and display our team colors… . We also want a team we can be proud of… But what management needs to realize is this:

While the vast majority of Mets fans will always be forever loyal, passionate and patient, financially supporting this team is not a given. Loyalty goes both ways and so far you haven’t been holding up your end of the bargain. And yes, we do have our limits.

Within the next two weeks we’ll witness the same scene that gets played out every October. Amidst the spray of champagne and exuberant shouts, the commissioner will be standing on a stage presenting a trophy to the owner, manager and General Manager of the World Champions. Now, if the commissioner would instead be presenting a trophy to the executives that promised the brightest future, we’d see Sandy Alderson, Terry Collins and Fred Wilpon on that stage. But since it doesn’t work that way, we’ll have to wait.

Baseball always has been and always will be a business. It’s what have you done for me lately, not what will you do for me later.

Kirk Gibson guided his team to the playoffs in 2011, the same year he became Manager of the Year. Three years later, he was out of a job. Dusty Baker was dismissed by the Reds after he did get his team into the post-season, but management felt he should have taken them deeper.

In 1934, after hitting only 22 home runs and slugging only .537, what one journalist called “merely mortal” stats, Babe Ruth was traded to the Boston Braves. At age 39, Ty Cobb played in just 79 games. Although he hit .339, the Georgia Peach was not wanted by Detroit and signed with Philadelphia. At age 40, Cobb played in 133 games and batted .357. In 1965, the Cincinnati Reds believed that Frank Robinson was a “very old 30” and traded him to Baltimore. In 1966, that washed up player batted .316 with 49 HR and 122 RBI, leading the O’s to their first Championship. The GM who scooped up that old fogey was named Frank Cashen.

Since Baseball is a what have you done for me lately gig, now that our GM has 4 years under his belt, let’s look at what he’s done, not what he promises to do. And how he compares to previous Mets general managers.

We frequently hear the comparisons made between Cashen and Alderson. Cashen inherited a dysfunctional franchise without any bright stars on the horizon, one of the worst farm systems in the game, a weary and apathetic fan base. Upon joining the Mets, Cashen stated it would take 4 or 5 years to rebuild the team, but he promised a brighter future.

Many argue Alderson was dealt a similar hand. Personally, I’ve never felt that way. The 1979 Mets were far worse than the 2010 Mets. Cashen took over a team that finished 35 games back and won just 63 games. Alderson took over a team that finished 18 GB and had 79 wins.

But let’s look deeper at the Cashen/Alderson comparison.

By the time Cashen was hired, pitchers and catchers were arriving for spring training in 1980. The team was already set so there was no flexibility or time to do anything. The one substantial thing he did do that first year came months later, selecting a kid in the draft named Darryl Strawberry. In 1981, the seemingly unavoidable strike lingered in the air all year, handcuffing all general managers, including Cashen.

Cashen did realize, however, that he needed to increase interest in the team. If he could get more fans to come out to Flushing it would give him more financial maneuverability. 1981 saw the arrival of fan favorite Dave Kingman followed the next year by Reds slugger George Foster.

History shows that their acquisitions had no bearing overall in the wins column. It did, however, have fans coming back to Shea and tuning in to WOR. Even if the Mets were losing by 4, 5 or 6 runs—something that happened a lot—by acquiring two of the biggest HR hitters in the league, the Mets always had the potential to get back into the game. It also sent a message to the fans. Ratings increased as did attendance.

In 1983, Cashen undid the darkest day in Mets history by reacquiring Tom Seaver. And although The Franchise was beyond his prime, seeing #41 on the mound at Shea gave us a reason to take in a game in Flushing. That same year, Cashen also traded for former MVP and proven winner Keith Hernandez. One month later, that Strawberry kid? Less than three years since he was selected out of Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, he would make his major league debut.

In 1984, led by Strawberry, Hernandez, another high school kid drafted two years earlier named Dwight Gooden, a young righty acquired from Texas named Ron Darling, and a newly promoted minor league manager named Davey Johnson, Cashen’s prediction came true. The 1984 club tallied 90 wins, the highest since 1969. Cashen’s Mets were in a pennant race for the first time in nearly a decade.

After 4 years, Cashen’s work paid off, his prediction came to fruition and his promise to the fans was fulfilled.

After 4 years, Alderson continues speaking about the future and making promises.

I decided to research deeper and see how our current GM stacks up against his predecessors. The results were rather disheartening.

Since 1970, the Mets have had seven primary general managers: Bob Scheffing, Joe McDonald, Frank Cashen, Joe McIlvane, Steve Phillips, Omar Minaya and Alderson. I’ve omitted Jim Duquette and Al Harazin since their tenures were less than two years. (You know, small sample sizes.)

Scheffing’s last year as GM, 1974, the Mets won 71 games. He was replaced by Joe McDonald who surpassed that amount his first year with 82 wins.

McDonald’s last year as GM, 1979, the Mets won 63 games. He was replaced by Frank Cashen who surpassed that amount in his first year with 67 wins.

Cashen’s last year as GM, 1991, the Mets won 77 games. After one year of Al Harazin, Joe McIlvane took over. Although the ’94 season was cut short, McIlvane was on pace to win 79 games, surpassing Cashen’s total in hissecond season.

McIlvane’s last year as GM, 1997, the Mets won 88 games. He was replaced by Steve Phillips who surpassed that amount in his second season with 97 wins.

Phillip’s last year as GM, 2003, the Mets won 66 games. He was replaced by Omar Minaya who surpassed that amount in his first season with 71 wins.

Minaya’s last year as GM, 2010, the Mets won 79 games. He was replaced by Sandy Alderson. Alderson still has NOT surpassed that mark.

In other words, Sandy Alderson stands alone as our only GM who has never won more games in a season than the GM he replaced. McDonald, Cashen and Minaya claimed more victories in their very first year at the helm, while Phillips and McIlvane did it in their second. In four years, Alderson still has not topped the final year of his predecessor.

With 2014 now in the books, Alderson has joined Joe McIlvane as the only GM with four consecutive losing seasons. If the Mets finish below .500 next year, Sandy will tie George Weiss (1962-1966) as the only GM with five straight sub-500 finishes. Although unlike Weiss, nobody will ever refer to Sandy’s Mets teams as Lovable Losers.

It isn’t just about how Sandy stacks up with his Mets predecessors, he needs to start winning for the sake of his own legacy. He hasn’t had a winning season since 1992, and 2014 was his ninth consecutive losing season as a general manager. He’s only had five winning seasons in 19 as a GM, and all of those were with Oakland when they were swimming in mega money

Perhaps 2015 will be the season when everything clicks for Sandy and his master plan will begin to take hold. Perhaps the Mets will overtake the Washington Nationals and the rest of the division to become a dominant force in the NL for the rest of the decade.

However, while Sandy Alderson continues to make promises, albeit with an occasional good joke or sound byte thrown in, results have yet to materialize on the field. And in that regard and through his first four years, what’s he done for us lately? Not much. Hopefully, that changes in 2015. Lets Go Mets.

October 13

1903 – The first ever World Series ever played is completed as the Boston Pilgrims defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 and take the series, 5 games to 3.

1914 – The Boston Braves, who were in last place in mid-July, rebound to win the World Series. “The Miracle Braves” defeat the Philadelphia A’s in the first sweep in Series history.

1921 – In the first all New York “World” Series, the Giants beat the Yankees, 1-0 and win the series, 5 games to 3.

1960 – In perhaps the greatest moment in Pirates history, Bill Mazeroski homers in the 9th against Ralph Terry and gives Pittsburgh a 10-9 win in Game 7. It’s the first walk-off HR to win a World Series.

1971 – The 1st World Series game is played at night. Led by Roberto Clemente with three hits, Pittsburgh defeats Baltimore, 4-3.

1985 – In one of the strangest World Series incidents ever, Cardinals speedster Vince Colemanis injured. While stretching before the game, Coleman becomes trapped under a moving tarp for 30 seconds. He is unable to play for the rest of the Series.

1996 – With a 6-4 win over the Orioles, the Yankees win their 34th pennant and go to the World Series for the first time in 15 years.

October 14

1905 - Christy Mathewson blanks the A’s, 2-0 and the Giants win the Series in 5. It is Mathewson’s 3rd shut-out of the Series and this will also be the only World Series where each game is a shut-out.

1906 – In spite of winning 116 games during the season, the Cubs lose to their cross-town rivals, the White Sox. The losers share, $439.50, is the smallest in history.

1908 – The Cubs beat the Tigers, 2-0 and win the World Series. The attendance is 6,210, the smallest ever for a World Series game.

1969 – Led by two remarkable catches by Tommie Agee, the surprising New York Mets beat the Orioles, 5-0 and take a 2-1 lead in the series.

1972 – A’s catcher Gene Tenace becomes the first player to homer in his first two World Series at-bats.

1973 – The Mets win Game 2, 10-7, and tie the A’s at one game apiece. This game features the last major league hit ever in the career of Willie Mays.

1976 – Chris Chambliss goes deep against Mark Littell in the bottom of the 9th in the fifth and deciding game of the ALCS, the Yankees defeat the Royals, 7-6 and win the pennant.

1984 – Led by Kirk Gibson’s two home runs, the Tigers beat San Diego 8-4 and win the series in five games.

1992 – With a 9-2 win over the A’s, the Toronto Blue Jays become the first Canadian team to go to the World Series.

2003 – Just five outs shy of returning to the World Series for the first time in 58 years, the Cubs blow a 3-0 lead. They give up 8 runs on 5 hits, 3 walks and an error after a controversial call of fan interference.

2006 – Silas Simmons, the oldest living baseball player, celebrates his 111th birthday. Simmons was born the same year as Babe Ruth.

October 15

1917 – The Chicago White Sox win the World Series. Eddie Collins races home from third base when the Giants leave the plate unprotected. Shortly after their victory, 24 members of the White Sox file a grievance with the league, insisting they did not receive their full winner’s share. This may be part of the motivation for the Black Sox Scandal two years later. Interestingly, the letter itself disappeared, only to be found five decades later in a box in a storage closet at the Hall of Fame.

1923 – The Yankees win their first World Series as they defeat the Giants.

1946 – In Game 7, Enos Slaughter scores from first base on a single as the Cardinals defeat Boston, 4-3.

1969 – Led by Ron Swoboda’s diving catch and Tom Seaver’s excellent outing, ‘The Amazin’ Mets’ beat Baltimore, 2-1, in 10 innings and take a 3-1 lead over the heavily favored Orioles.

1972: In a televised speech prior to the World Series, Jackie Robinson urges Major League Baseball to hire a black manager. Jackie would not live to see this. He would die just 9 days later.

1975 - Luis Tiant throws 163 pitches as Boston beats Cincinnati, 5-4, to even the series at 2 games each.

1986 – In the longest post-season game in history, 4 hours 42 minutes, the Mets win their third pennant, defeating the Houston Astros 7-6 in a 16 inning thriller. The Mets trailed 3-0 going to the ninth, when a rally was started by Lenny Dykstra and Ray Knight with big hits.

1988 – Making his only appearance of the World Series, Kirk Gibson homers against Dennis Eckersley with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of Game One to give the Dodgers a 3-2 win over Oakland.

October 16

1909 – Pirates rookie Babe Adams wins his third game of the World Series as Pittsburgh defeats Detroit in seven games.

1912 – Giants CF Fred Snodgrass drops a routine fly ball in the 10th, allowing Boston to win 3-2, and take the series.

Exhibit A: In August 2013 Mets fans held their collective breath when learning of an injury to Matt Harvey. A short time later when it became clear he was finished for not only the remainder of that season but for the following year as well, fans by and large threw in the towel. We immediately wrote off the next year and began looking ahead to 2015. Obviously, with our ace sidelined we simply could not compete.

As the 2014 campaign unfolded, the Mets lived up to these expectations of nothingness. A loss to the Yankees on May 14th cemented us below 500 for the next 4 ½ months. Six weeks in and already we were going through the motions of playing 162 games. Obviously, with one pitcher down, we had no chance.

However, when we look back at 2013, we weren’t exactly kicking butt with Harvey and then promptly nosedived after his injury. On Aug 24, Harvey’s last start, the Mets were in 3rd place, 18 Games Back Our record was 58-69, a .457 winning percentage. Without Harvey, the Mets concluded 2013 going 16-19 for, ironically, a .457 winning percentage.

Exhibit B: Unlike the Mets who lost one player, this unnamed team had bad luck bestowed upon them in 2014. Their ace won only two games by the All-Star Break before being shut down with an elbow injury. Their most popular starter with the fans struggled all year and eventually found himself relegated to the bullpen by July 20.

Things were so dire the GM acquired a pitcher who was 1-9 with an ERA of 4.72. The ERA for their closer was north of 5.00 when he lost his job in late June. The leadoff hitter and offensive spark plug missed most of the year, amassing only 383 plate appearances. One of their few legitimate home run threats had just 214 at-bats, missing 101 games. It’s no wonder that from June 9 through August 25, this club went 26-41, good for a humiliating .388 winning percentage.

Confusing, isn’t it? The Mets lose one player and all hope is lost. The Giants have a plethora of injuries and chaos and somehow have a legitimate chance to play in the World Series. I guess this proves that good teams find a way to win while other teams raise their arms to heaven asking “Why us?”

Winners win. Losers make excuses.

And for nearly 10 years, excuses is one thing that Mets players, managers, executives and even some fans have become quite skilled at. Each year we find some excuse or excuses to hang all our woes on.

In 2006, the reason we blew it could be summed up in 2 words: 1) Heilman 2) Beltran. Aaron Heilman gave up a home run in the 9th inning of game seven in the LCS to some 24 year-old kid named Yadier Molina. And Beltran? Well, despite the fact he led the Mets with 41 home runs and 116 RBI, everyone blamed him for taking a called third strike that would have left Stan Musial befuddled. Of course, without Beltran’s stats we don’t even make it to the post-season, but many fans forget that. The fact that Molina would go on to become the premier catcher in the league and known as a clutch hitter while the pitcher, Adam Wainwright, would become one of the games’ top hurlers, was apparently irrelevant. Surely, once we’d get rid of Heilman and Beltran things would improve, wouldn’t they?

2007 saw the Mets blowing a seven game lead with 17 left. On the last day of the year, with the post-season hanging in the balance, Tom Glavine had the shortest outing of his Hall of Fame career, allowing seven runs in just one inning of work. That (expletive) Brave! we all shouted. But really, with a seven game lead in mid-September, the season shouldn’t have even come down to the final day. Glavine should have spent that day resting for the playoffs, not pitching to keep hope alive.

Joining Glavine as our fall guy was Jose Reyes. Sure, Reyes may have set the franchise record for most stolen bases with 78 and also had 60 extra-base hits, but it was clearly his fault for hitting .154 in Sept. Surely, once we get rid of Glavine and Reyes things would improve, wouldn’t they?

In 2009, this particular player batted 302, third best on the club. He stole 20 bases in 26 attempts (2nd highest on the club) and was also second in hits. Not too shabby. However, when Luis Castillo dropped a routine pop-up, it was obvious he was now the poster child for everything wrong with the 09 Mets. Had this error happened against Colorado, no one would remember it. But since it happened against the Yankees, one game out of 162, it was clear that Castillo was the source of all evil. Surely, once we get rid of him things would improve, wouldn’t they?

Even David Wright, the face of the franchise and arguably our best hitter ever, has also been blamed by some. How many times has our captain been criticized for not being “clutch” or a “leader” as preposterous as that sounds?

When still nothing improved we began pointing a finger at reserve outfielders. Jordany Valdespin was a cancer in the clubhouse that needed to be removed. Valdespin, like the others, is gone. Yet, nothing has improved.

Soon, it became evident that blame needed to be placed in the dugout, not on the field.

Of the 20 different men who’ve managed the Mets, Willie Randolph compiled a .544 winning percentage, second highest in history. He was fired, replaced by Jerry Manuel. The Gangsta posted a winning percentage of .489, lower than Randolph. When it was decided that Manuel was now the problem, he was replaced by Terry Collins. Collins’ winning percentage is .469, even lower than Manuel.

Uh oh, now what? We discarded star players and future Hall of Famers. We discarded relievers and reserve outfielders. But nothing changed. We discarded managers. But nothing changed. Time to look upstairs.

In six years, Omar Minaya’s Mets finished over .500 four times. From 2005-2010, the Mets averaged 84 wins. However it was decided it must be his fault. Minaya was replaced by Sandy Alderson. In four years, Alderson has never finished over 500. From 2011-2014, his clubs have averaged 76 wins.

In Minaya’s six seasons the Mets averaged finishing 6 ½ GB. In Alderson’s four seasons, the Mets have averaged finishing 22 GB.

In addition to blaming players, managers and GM’s, we’ve also impugned pitching coaches, hitting coaches, trainers. And the most ludicrous of all: our stadium. Yet again, for the third off-season in Citi Field’s six year existence, management is still struggling to figure out where exactly to put a wall and how high it should be.

Since 2006, the more changes that are made, the worse things become. We blamed Reyes for one bad month, Glavine for one bad start, Heilman for one bad pitch, Beltran for one bad at-bat, Castillo for one misplayed pop-up.

At this moment, the Giants, despite the abundance of misfortune they endured this season, are taking infield practice in St. Louis, answering repetitive questions from reporters and spouting tired worn-out clichés as they try to get to their third World Series since 2010.

Meanwhile, the Mets and Mets fans are—as always—hoping that next year things will improve. And hoping not one-single-thing goes wrong. Let’s just pray that Matt Harvey isn’t spotted at a nightclub in Manhattan the evening before a bad start or that no Mets’ wife goes into labor causing her husband to miss two games or that Jacob deGrom skips a single start due to a blister. I’m sure 2015 will be the Mets year. After all, since we’ve gotten rid of all our past problems, what could possibly go wrong?

The Mets entered the 2011 season with a new skipper and a new General Manager. Despite realizing we’d need to rebuild, Fred Wilpon claimed, “In this city, it’s all about winning.” We are now four years removed from that statement and apparently it’s NOT all about winning. After finishing below .500 every year since, ownership recently decided to bring back both Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins for more of the same.

Yes, our farm system is stronger now than it was in 2011. Yes, the Mets are on the cusp of possibly having the most dominant rotation in the league, if not all of Baseball. (Of course, we hold our breath after the disaster that was Generation K twenty years ago). But, if as Wilpon stated, it’s all about winning, why is mediocrity now being rewarded?

Davey Johnson was our most successful manager. In six full-seasons, the Mets always finished over 500. He guided this club to their second and last World Series championship, two division titles and was the skipper of our most successful run ever. His .588 winning percentage is unmatched. Yet, Davey was fired early in 1990 when the Mets were (gasp!) two games under .500. Winning was expected and mediocrity (20-22) would not be tolerated.

The second most successful manager in our history was Willie Randolph with a .544 winning percentage. In three full seasons a Randolph-led Mets team never finished below 500. Yet, in spite of dethroning the Braves atop the NL East in 2006 and keeping his team in the fight until game 162 in 2007, Randolph was dismissed in 2008 when the Mets were (gasp again) one game under .500. Once again, winning was expected and mediocrity (34-35) would not be accepted.

Loved or hated, Bobby Valentine’s .534 winning percentage is 3rd best in Mets history. He’s the only manager to lead the Mets to two consecutive post-seasons, something that Davey or Gil Hodges never accomplished. In his six full seasons, Valentines’ Mets finished over .500 five times. The first time he finished under, 75-86, Valentine was fired.

Yogi Berra is a baseball icon, especially in New York. He was a coach in 1969 and managed the ’73 club that came within one hit of winning the World Series. The Mets finished above .500 in two of Berra’s three seasons at the helm. However, management was unhappy and wanted more. Yogi posted a 497 winning percentage and unlike the aforementioned managers, he was actually OVER 500 (56-53) at the time of his dismissal.

Enter our current skipper. Terry Collins is the only Mets manager in franchise history with four consecutive losing seasons. Under Collins, the Mets have failed to improve, have failed to play one single important game, and have continually gone through the motions of playing out the schedule after the All-Star Break.

One out of every three teams in the NL now makes the post-season. But since 2011, the Mets have not even come remotely close to being in a pennant race. His winning percentage is .467, lower than even Jerry Manuel and Joe Frazier, only slightly above good ol’ Dallas Green and Jeff Torborg. Regardless of Collins’ failures for four straight seasons, it’s evident that mediocrity is not only tolerated now, but actually rewarded.

I found it amusing that within hours of ownership compensating Collins and Alderson for four straight seasons of utter averageness the Braves fired their GM, Frank Wren. After all, Wren’s Braves made the post-season only 3 times in 7 years. In Atlanta, as it used to be in Flushing, mediocrity is not rewarded.

When I pointed out this irony to a friend of mine who’s also a die-hard Mets fan, he stated, “That’s because the Braves are built to win now whereas the Mets are building to win long-term.” I found this amusing also. Think about it. The Braves have made the post-season 14 times in 20 years and they’re built to win now. Meanwhile, the Mets, who’ve made the post-season just 3 times in 20 years are built to win later.

I think it’s safe to say that with 14 trips to the playoffs since 1995, the Braves are in fact built to win now and in the longterm. But if winning longterm really is the Mets goal, does anyone out there truly believe in their heart the Mets will make the playoffs 14 times between next year and 2035?

To further drive home the point about mediocrity being the new normal, on Friday the D-backs fired their skipper. In 2011, Kirk Gibson was Manager of the Year, his first full season. In 2012 and 2013, Arizona finished 81-81. Yet, with his team sitting at the bottom of the division this year, management felt a change was needed. Unlike New York, losing was not accepted, nor rewarded.

Many of you probably disagree with me. The Mets are quite possibly poised for a dynasty—just like we were in 2006 and again in the mid-90’s with Paul Wilson and Bill Pulsipher leading the way. Alderson had to rebuild. He needed to trim salary. We can blame Jason Bay, Bobby Bonilla, Omar Minaya, Bernie Madoff, the dimensions of Citi Field and anything else we choose to. But, as Fred Wilpon said, “It’s all about winning.” One would think, by listening to the ‘company line’ and regurgitating the same talking points our front office spews, that the Mets are the only team who need to turn things around. This is not true.

In 2010, the KC Royals finished last with 67 wins. In 4 years, they’ve improved by more than 20 victories and are returning to the post-season in 2014.

In 2010, the Baltimore Orioles finished last with merely 66 victories. In 2014, they have the 2nd best record in the AL, burying both the Yankees (12 GB) and the defending champion Red Sox (25 GB). It’s amazing what can be accomplished with a good manager.

In 2010, the Angels finished below 500 and in third place. In 2014, they have the best record in Baseball.

In 2010, the Mariners lost more than 100 games. Last year they lost 91. This year, however, they battled for the wild-card all season before just falling short.

In 2010, the Pirates lost 105 times! Now, in 2014, the Bucs will be returning to the post-season for their 2nd straight year.

In 2010, the Nats finished last with a record of 69-93. In 2012, just 2 years later, and again this year, they have the best record in the National League.

In 2010, the Mets finished with 79 wins. Four years later, four years under the Alderson/Collins regime, and where are we? …well, 79 wins.

What separates the other teams from the Mets is they’re actually doing what it takes to win, not just promising fans a brighter tomorrow and spouting lip service. They’re bringing up rookies, signing players, and hiring good managers and talented coaches. They’re not rewarding mediocrity. These teams I mentioned above are able to turn things around in a matter of four years while in Flushing nothing has changed other than promises of better tomorrows.

In 1984, ownership promoted Davey Johnson from AAA. The Mets were rebuilding with youth then also and Johnson was the obvious choice. He knew the players—Doc, Darryl, Mitchell, Dykstra—and they knew him. It seems like history should be repeating itself. But not nowadays. While Wally Backman has guided the Triple-A team to the championship two straight years Collins has yet to reach .500 in four years.

Like Davey 30 years ago, Wally knows these young players and they know him. I don’t know if Wally would be a success or a failure and neither do you. However, based on his record of winning contrasted with Collins’ record of losing, I’ll take my chances with Wally.

The 2014 regular season has concluded and Mets fans will do what we always do lately: watching ten other teams play in October. Oh—and counting down until Opening Day. Surely, 2015 will be better and our future is bright. After all, it’s all about winning, right Fred?

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/09/mets-management-and-the-acceptance-of-mediocrity.html/feed/0We’ll Need More Than Just Harvey To Win In 2015http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/09/mets-cannot-win-by-harvey-alone-2.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/09/mets-cannot-win-by-harvey-alone-2.html/#commentsSun, 07 Sep 2014 12:00:32 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=165059

On October 1, 2004, I was having dinner with my wife of six months and my new in-laws. As we bantered back and forth I kept one eye on the TV mounted in the corner of Applebee’s. When I saw a basehit up the middle,

I excitedly tapped my wife on the shoulder. “He did it!” My in-laws, who knew nothing about Baseball, asked, “Who did what?” I explained that Mariners’ outfielder Ichiro Suzuki just broke George Sisler’s record for most hits in a season, a record that stood untouched for more than 80 years. My mother-in-law asked innocently, “Are the Mariners a good team?” “No,” I responded. “They suck.” The look on her face was…well, priceless. How a team with such a talented player could suck was mind-boggling to her.

But that’s what makes baseball the most beautiful game ever created. You can’t keep getting the puck to Wayne Gretzky, handing off to Walter Payton or passing to Magic Johnson for a lay-up. The National Pastime, more than any other game, is a team sport. This is a fact we need to remember.

Enter Walter Johnson. Widely regarded as the best pitcher in history, The Big Train was to pitching what The Bambino was to hitting. Over a 21 year career, Johnson won 417 games, second only to Cy Young.

His career ERA was an anemic 2.17. He recorded 3,508 strikeouts. It took another 50 years for a pitcher to even reach 3,000. In the last 50 years only two pitchers—Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan—even came “close” to his record 110 shut-outs. They recorded 61. Johnson led the American League in wins six times, twice eclipsing 30 of them Throw in five ERA crowns and leading the league in strikeouts 12 times.

Yep, that Johnson guy was not bad. However, despite incredible numbers for two decades, Walter Johnson only was a World Champion just once.

The reason is simple. In spite of Johnson’s splendid career, he played for what is generally regarded as a bad team. He had poor defense behind him, and a weak offense provided little, if any, run support. Johnson compiled a .599 winning percentage while his team compiled a 492 winning percentage. Incredibly, in his 279 losses, the Senators were shut out 65 times. Imagine how many more games Johnson could’ve won had he played for a team with some decent hitting.

Matt Harvey made his debut for the Mets on July 26, 2012. In 10 starts he posted a 2.73 ERA and fanned 70 batters in 59.0 innings pitched. His strikeout to walk ratio was nearly 3:1, yet despite such a grand debut, Harvey had a losing record. 3-5.

Having Harvey for an entire season made the fan base cautiously optimistic for 2013. The Dark Knight became the newest member of ‘The Next Tom Seaver’ club. Maybe, just maybe, this time there was some truth to this oft thrown around label.

The hard-throwing righty did not disappoint. Harvey whiffed 191 batters in 178 innings while walking only 31. He became the first Mets pitcher to start an All-Star Game since Doc Gooden a quarter of a century earlier. Harvey was having an epic campaign and yet despite all his gaudy numbers, he won just nine games in four months.

As you all know, Harvey was shut down after being diagnosed with a torn elbow ligament. He’d miss the rest of 2013 and all of 2014 after Tommy John surgery. Barring setbacks, in 2013 Mets fans were not clamoring “wait till next year” but “Wait till the year after next year.”

We widely regarded 2014 to be another ‘throw-away’ year. And it certainly has been. Yes, there have been some bright spots, but by and large the Mets have spent the year struggling to approach 500 and fighting to stay ahead of the Phillies to avoid last place. The general consensus is that next year (2015) when Harvey returns, we’ll be better. Many fans believe with Harvey pitching every fifth day the Mets have a legitimate shot at making the post-season. But do we?

Assuming Harvey returns in 2015 with the same dominance he showed for three-quarters of 2013, you can be sure he will be on an innings limit roughly between 150 and 175. The Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg was capped at 160.

This means that even if the Mets DO find themselves battling for a wild card, it’s unlikely Harvey will still be around in September. Could we compete for the playoffs with our ace on the bench during the month-long stretch run? I hope so, but who knows. I just don’t want to see 2015 turn into another ‘wait until next year’ grind when Harvey will be free of restrictions in 2016. I want to see a serious commitment to winning next season with plans A, B and C firmly in place.

The point here is twofold. The Mets really need to do better than an offense that ranks 29th in batting and 28th in OPS if we seriously intend to make a run for the playoffs next season. And it may be a good idea to have a solid backup plan for Matt Harvey – just in case. Lets be proactive for a change. This is going to be one of the most significant offseasons we’ve had in years. Lets make it happen in 2015. We need the teamwork to make the dream work.

1964 was a bustling time in our nation’s history. With America still reeling from the shock of our president being assassinated on the streets of Dallas, we were under invasion by a group of four long haired lads from Liverpool. New President Lyndon Johnson declared a ‘War on Poverty.’ Average annual income in America was $6000, a new house cost $13,000, a new car $3500. For $1.25 you could purchase a movie ticket, for $4.50 you could fill your car.

Sidney Poitier became the first African-American to win an Oscar for his role in “Lilies of the Field.” Ford unveiled a new sports car called the Mustang, a game show named “Jeopardy” premiered and another group from England, this one calling themselves the Rolling Stones, released their debut album. In New York, a group of twelve young men were arrested for their rebellious act against the establishment. In what is regarded as the first anti-war protest of the decade, they publicly burned their draft cards in protest of our growing involvement in a place half way around the world most Americans could not locate on a map. A place called Vietnam.

People in NY were excited. Not only were we hosting the World’s Fair but with the opening of Shea Stadium, NL baseball was officially back in NY. With this new state-of-the-art modern facility that could be modified for football, Mets fans were ecstatic. In only the 31st game ever played at Shea, Jim Bunning tossed a Perfect Game. It was the seventh perfecto in history and the first in the NL since John Montgomery Ward tossed one against the Buffalo Bisons in 1880.

Now it was time for our home to appear in the National spotlight. 50,850 packed Shea as the Mets hosted the 35th All-Star Game. The 1964 midsummer classic is regarded by historians as one of the best ever. Walt Alston managed the NL club and Al Lopez piloted the AL players. Current Mets manager Casey Stengel and future Mets manager Gil Hodges were coaches. Dean Chance took the mound for the AL, Don Drysdale for the NL. The Mets own Ron Hunt started at second base. Of the 18 starting players, eight wound wind up in Cooperstown.

The AL wasted no time taking the lead. Fregosi opened the game with a solid hit to left field, moved to second base on a passed ball and scored two outs later on a rocket to left off the bat of Harmon Killebrew. 1-0 AL.

LA Angels’ Dean Chance baffled the NL for three innings. In the fourth he was replaced by John Wyatt of the Kansas City A’s. Billy Williams welcomed Wyatt to the game by leading off the fourth with a solo home run. Later that inning a solo blast by Ken Boyer put the NL on top, 2-1.

The NL added to the lead in the fifth. With two outs, Clemente singled up the middle off of Camilio Pascual. Cardinals shortstop Dick Groat doubled, Clemente raced home and the NL was up 3-1.

The American League rallied to tie the game in the sixth. After Oliva was fanned, Mantle and Killebrew singled. Brooks Robinson hit a line drive to the power alley in left-center. The ball rolled to the wall, Mantle and Killebrew scored. 3-3.

The AL recaptured the lead in the seventh when Elston Howard was hit by a Turk Farrell pitch. Pinch-hitter Rocky Colavito doubled, making it second and third. Fregosi hit a sac-fly to center that scored Howard and put the AL back on top, 4-3.

Boston’s Dick Radatz came in and once again the NL hitters were baffled. Radatz struck out 4 of the 6 batters he faced in the 7th and 8th. Juan Marichal made quick work of the AL in the top of the 9th. Radatz took the mound in the bottom half of the frame needing only three outs. But he’d have to face the heart of the NL’s potent lineup.

Mays opened the inning with a walk and stole second. With the tying run in scoring position, Mays’ teammate Orlando Cepeda dug in. He hit a pop fly to short right that dropped. Mays scored easily to tie the game at 4-4. Cepeda, who took second on the throw home, was replaced by pinch runner Curt Flood. Ken Boyer popped out for the first out. Reds catcher Johnny Edward was intentionally walked to set up the DP. With runners on first and second and the game knotted at four in the bottom of the ninth, who was due up but none other than our own Ron Hunt, the Mets sole representative.

Manager Alston, however, decided to pinch hit for Hunt with Hank Aaron. The future HR king was fanned and it seemed like Radatz would get out of the jam when Phillies outfielder Johnny Callison stepped to the plate. Callison sent the first pitch high and deep and the ball sailed over the right field wall and gave the NL an improbable come from behind 7-4 victory, scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies outfielder joined Ted Williams and Stan Musial as the only players to win an All-Star Game on a walk-off HR.

It was a great and memorable All Star moment and it happened right here in Flushing, right here at Big Shea.

Someone once joked “Marriage is about finding that one special person to annoy you the rest of your life.” The same could be said of Baseball fans. In our case, we’ve found the Mets.

On Thursday, April 3rd, the Mets lost to Washington, 8-2 and dropped to 0-3. We’d given up 22 runs in 3 days. It was the first time in history we lost the first 3 games of the season at home. And worst of all, we had another 159 yet to go. That night I did what most Mets fans wanted to do: Drink heavily. I went to the kitchen and much to my chagrin, there was no bottle of Jack Daniels. I did the next best thing and began working on a blog for MMO. Angry, frustrated and yes, pissed off, I banged on the keyboard of my computer like I was Metallica’s Lars Ulrich. I went off on Fred and Jeff Coupon, M. Donald Alderson, the human windmill Ike Davis, Bartolo’s belly and the ‘Yankee in right field.’ I suggested that even Chico Escuela would be an improvement.

Don’t go looking in the archives for the blog cause it ain’t there. After winning 2 of the next 3 from Cincinnati, I deleted the blog before it was posted.

Why was I so annoyed? Because I love this team. I care about this team deeply. Kinda like a marriage. How long have you been with your current husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend? Now, how long you’ve cared about the Mets? More than 2 of every 3 marriages fail. Spouses come and go. The Mets are forever. The Mets are the one team that will annoy us for the rest of our life.

A little over a week later, the Mets were leaving Anaheim after getting crushed 14-2. Colon gave up 9 ER in 5 IP. We’d lost 2 of 3 that weekend, lucky to win the one game we did after blowing a lead in the 9th. We were 5-7. Frustrated, exasperated and yes, pissed off yet again, I took out my frustration on my poor, defenseless keyboard. Could I endure another 150 games of this torture? Sandy Alderson says this team will win 90 games??? Is he delusional, suffering dementia or just that out of touch? I posted the blog right around the time the Mets touched down in Phoenix for 3 games against the D-Backs.

Don’t go looking in the archives cause this one because it ain’t there either. (To let you all in on a little secret, with the exception of breaking news or game recaps, most posts pend for 24-48 hours. And thank goodness for that.) After sweeping the D-Backs, outscoring them 21-5, suddenly, somehow, someway, the Mets were amazingly over .500.

And suddenly, somehow, someway, we were playing some pretty good baseball. My own statements began to change. I went from:

SARCASM: Wow, the Mets actually won a game today

GUARDED OPTIMISM: Hey, the Mets won today.

BELIEVING: The Mets won again. Ohhh, boy…

CONFIDENCE: Let’s kick some ass tonight, guys!

Suddenly, somehow, someway, we were playing solid defense (second fewest errors in the league), anemic but timely hitting and pitchers were becoming stingy. Pitching and defense…just like 1969.

We went through 3 closers in 3 weeks. Ike Davis hit a Grand Slam…for Pittsburgh. Matt Harvey appeared flipping the bird: Plenty of fodder to complain about and air my frustrations. But this time, I held back. We were playing well and winning has a tendency to decrease the relevance of such trivial things.

When MLB Network shows their Premier Plays, I still get impressed with good defense. Watching an outfielder stick their glove over the wall and robbing someone of a HR never gets old. Nice! Watching a third baseman snag a line drive destined for the corner, plant his feet and fire across the diamond to nail the batter by half a step always elicits a Wow. And though I shouldn’t admit this, after all these years I still like seeing Derek Jeter do that thing where he leaps, turns in mid-air and fires to first base. Awesome. But when it’s one of our guys, when it’s Daniel Murphy turning a seemingly un-turnable 6-4-3 double play or when Travis d’Arnaud nails the potential tying run at the plate, I don’t say Wow, Nice! or Awesome. I just smile proudly. Those are MY GUYS, MY TEAM, MY METS.

In late 1973, Tug McGraw coined ‘Ya Gotta Believe.’ No one will ever know if Tug really believed it. The fact remains, however, that the Mets went from 5th place on August 31 to within one hit of winning the World Series six weeks later.

And since that unlikely pennant, we fans have repeated Tug’s mantra over and over and over and over. Almost blindly, robotically regurgitating a tired worn-out cliché that originated back during the Nixon administration. Even when the Mets had no legitimate chance, no matter how bleak and how awful our team was, we spewed Ya Gotta Believe. Maybe if we said it often enough there’d be another miracle.

From Seaver to Santana, from Darryl and Dykstra to Dessens and Duda, from Knight to Wright, from Pacella to Pedro to Parnell, from Mazz to Kaz, from Doctor K to Generation K to K-Rod, from Bobby V to Dillon Gee, from John Franco to Matt Franco to Julio Franco, we’ve repeated Tug’s war cry until we ourselves get tired of hearing it.

But is there legitimacy this time? Since starting out 0-3, the Mets have played .652 ball, going 15-8. Granted we’re only 1/6 through the season. But just weeks ago we asked ourselves, ‘Can I take six more months of this torture?’ Perhaps the coming months wont be as hopeless as we anticipated. Who amongst us isn’t—even in a small, tiny, microscopic way—starting to ‘believe?’

Will our pitching hold-up? Can we expect 41-year old Colon to keep it up all year? Will NL batters learn to hit Wheeler? Can our young untested pitchers compete in the heat of a pennant race if we get to the summer and are still playing solid? Maybe, maybe not. But did anyone think we had a chance in 1969?

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/04/the-wonderful-frustration-of-loving-the-mets.html/feed/0Are the Mets Playing to Win or Playing Not to Losehttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/04/are-the-mets-playing-to-win-or-playing-not-to-lose.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/04/are-the-mets-playing-to-win-or-playing-not-to-lose.html/#commentsThu, 17 Apr 2014 14:10:18 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=153246

After Gary Carter got a hit with two outs in the bottom of the 10th in Game Six, he turned to 1B coach Bill Robinson and said, “There’s no way I was making the last ******* out.” Moments later, pinch hitter Kevin Mitchell, void of his cup, got a base hit. He turned to 1B coach Bill Robinson and also said, “There’s no way I was making the last ******* out.”

When you look at the Mets today, do you see that same determination?

There’s a difference between playing to win and playing not to lose. When I watch the Mets, I see the latter. I see a team that’s not loose, that’s timid, almost waiting for something to go wrong and have a loss snatched from the jaws of victory.

I look at the Mets and, even this early into the season, it appears they are going through the motions. Willie Stargell once said, “Baseball is fun. That’s why the umpire says ‘Play Ball,’ not ‘Work Ball.” But to me it doesn’t seem like the Mets are having fun. They play hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

Last Friday night, the Mets arrived in Anaheim after a cross-country flight from Atlanta. But you’d think they were the first team to ever do this. They seemed lethargic, a far off distant look in their eyes. If this was the dog days of August I’d understand. But to see—in my view—a team this weary and this sluggish on their first road trip of the season made me wonder.

In the top of the 3rd, Travis d’Arnaud hit a solo HR to tie the game at 2-2. It was only the second homer of his career. Upon returning to the dugout, d’Arnaud smiled briefly, got a couple of proper pats on the butt from teammates and promptly sat on the bench putting on his catching gear. Very formal, very businesslike.

Three innings later, the opposite happened. J.B. Shuck, just called up to replace injured Josh Hamilton, hit a HR in the bottom of the 6th to knot the game at 4. It was the only the third of his career. Several of his teammates stepped onto the field, giving him high-fives after he rounded the bases, hugging him as he walked through the dugout. By the Angels’ reaction, you’d think it was a post-season game in October, not a Friday night in early April.

The stark difference was…amazing. The Angels were ecstatic, exuberant, nine-year-olds in Little League. The Mets were blasé, nonchalant, and almost indifferent.

In the 1970’s our hitting was definitely anemic. But out excellent pitching and stellar defense always kept us in the game. We had a legitimate chance to win. At the end of the 20th century, we had good enough pitching and enough big hitters that a win, no matter the score, seemed within our grasp. From 2005-2008, with a lineup consisting of David Wright and Jose Reyes—both coming into their prime–the power of Carlos Delgado and the 5 tools of Carlos Beltran, no deficit seemed insurmountable.

And then, there was ’86. If the Mets jumped out in front, it felt as if ‘that’s the way it’s supposed to be.’ Business as usual. And if we fell behind, our confidence never wavered. It wasn’t a matter of IF we’d win but HOW. And we did win. 2 of every 3 all year. But now it’s just the opposite. It feels like when the Mets take a lead, we don’t count on the win. Instead we ‘hope the bullpen can hold it.’ And if we fall behind, well, that’s when it feels like business as usual.

Why is this? Where does this culture stem from? When and how did mediocrity become acceptable and losses expected? Does it start in the executive office with ownership and the GM? Is it the fault of the manager and coaching staff? Perhaps, the players themselves?

When you look back at the good times there is one underlying consistency. We created a culture of winning.

On Opening Day 1969, Tom Seaver was a 24 year-old kid, Jerry Koosman was 26, Gary Gentry didn’t even look old enough to shave and Wayne Garret looked like he arrived at Shea via his tricycle. They were inexperienced kids but yet they won. How? The reason is they were surrounded by people who were winners. Manager Gil Hodges and coach Yogi Berra had played in 114 World Series games combined!

In June, management acquired Donn Clendenon, the player who Buddy Harrelson stated, “…gave us credibility.” Clendenon spent the bulk of his career in Pittsburgh alongside the likes of Stargell and Roberto Clemente, players who knew how to win.

When the Mets returned to the Series four years later, much of the team were holdovers from ’69. They were already champions.

By 1986, we had young stars like Gooden, Strawberry, and Dykstra. But we also had Gary Carter who, at this late stage in his career, would’ve done anything to get a ring. Keith Hernandez already had a ring as well as an MVP on his mantel. And at the helm was Davey Johnson, a player who spent the bulk of his career playing under Earl Weaver, one of the games’ winningest managers. Davey had two rings. He knew about winning.

The 99/00 club didn’t have “winners” but we had a roster loaded with guys who had that fire in the belly: Piazza, Ventura, Franco, Leiter, Payton. Even over-achiever Benny Agbayani.

Around 2006, we had the perfect blend of young talent and veterans who knew the game. Delgado was running out of time to become a champion, Beltran was determined to quiet the critics, Pedro Martinez was a big game pitcher, El Duque was a post-season stud, Paul Lo Duca played with the passion of Jerry Grote. And our skipper, Willie Randolph, had won 5 pennants and 4 World Series.

Which one doesn’t fit in with this group: Hodges, Berra, Johnson, Valentine, Randolph, Collins.

The 2014 Mets are centered around David Wright. Like Seaver before, he is the face of this team. He already holds many team records and by the time he hangs up his cleats, he will be at the top of every offensive category in our history. We all love him, no doubt about that. It’s as if we get through the other 8 guys just to get back to Wright, who seems like he’s the only one who can give us a chance. And although we all love him, he can’t be called a winner yet.

The 2014 Mets do have Curtis Granderson, a player with extensive post-season experience. But can he be labeled a ‘winner?’ In 36 post-season games he’s compiled a paltry .229 BA. His one World Series appearance, 2006 with Detroit, his team lost in five. Granderson went 2-for-21, an .095 BA.

When I look at the Mets today, I see a lot of things. I see management that operates a big market club with a small market mentality. I see a GM whose hands are financially tied, searching the bottom of the barrel, hoping for one more good year from players well beyond their prime. I see a manager and a coaching staff who has never won. I see a third baseman who’s the only real player we have on our team, a role model for kids, but not a champion. I see the future of our team, Matt Harvey, a 25 year-old who has already undergone Tommy John surgery. I also see potential. Young pitchers with a lot of upside who are still unproven.

I see a lot of different things. Regrettably, though, I don’t see any winners.

Legend has it that after Jesse Orosco fanned Marty Barrett and tossed his glove to the heavens it never came down. But on the evening of October 27, 1986, something else went even higher: My dad and me jumping up and down in the living room.

At that frozen moment in time my dad was not my dad. He wasn’t the one who taught me to ride a bike and drive a car. He wasn’t the one who showed me how to use a razor and knot a tie. He wasn’t the one who made me cover my ears when George Carlin launched into ‘The 7 Words You Can’t Say on TV.’ He wasn’t the one who snuck into my bedroom on Saturday nights and, unbeknownst to my mom, woke me up to watch wrestling. He wasn’t the one who explained to me that Baseball “is a business” after the Mets traded Tug McGraw. He wasn’t the one who once advised me, “Don’t trust anyone who doesn’t like Baseball.” He wasn’t the one who told me, “The Mets never lose. Sometimes we just run out of innings.” On that unforgettable Monday evening there was not 23 years between us.

We were two little kids. We were celebrating the fact that OUR TEAM was World Champions. We were Mets fans.

My mom eventually went to sleep but not my dad and me. We stayed up until dawn–drinking coffee, sharing some munchies, reminiscing. My dad smoked and although I, too, had picked up that habit and despite the fact I’d be turning 21 in 2 weeks, I still felt awkward smoking in front of him. We didn’t want to close the door on the ‘86 season. We discussed what the Mets would do with the logjam of Strawberry, Wilson, Dykstra and Mitchell in the outfield. We agreed that Cashen damn well better sign Series MVP Ray Knight. We fretted about Gary and Keith getting older but Gregg Jefferies would surely fill their shoes.

As the tentacles of sunrise began slithering through the curtains and the first day in eight months without baseball was upon us, my dad and I hugged again. With a smile displaying pride, dad casually mentioned, “That’s three.” The three he referred to was the number of championships he’d won in his life: one with Brooklyn in 1955. And now two with the Mets.

My dad passed away three years ago, just 2 weeks before Opening Day 2011. He never got to see a fourth.

Over the past several years I’d guestimate that more than half the blogs I’ve written for MMO have been extremely critical of Sandy Alderson, his “plan” and his request to be patient. Part of me–deep down inside–agrees with him. To a certain point, with the financial handcuffs ownership has placed on him, he has little flexibility. We’re not the Yankees who are battling for a pennant year in and year out. In all fairness to the GM, perhaps it’s me. I came of age in the 80’s, the decade of instant gratification and quick edits in music videos.

To quote Tom Petty, the waiting is the hardest part. On the other hand, if small market clubs with small payrolls such as Atlanta or Oakland can compete year after year, why can’t we? I take umbrage with Alderson’s call for patience. I have 41 years under my belt as a Mets fan and over that time, I’ve got just one championship. In 41 years my team has only made the post-season 6 times. 6 for 41: A 146 average. And I’m tired of waiting.

To anyone reading this, STOP! Take a moment and think back to where you were, what your life was like in 1986. How much has changed? How much have you changed? Where you were then? Where are you now?

Me? I’ve lived an entire adult life since 1986 as have many of you. I watched girls I had crushes on marry other guys. Then have kids. In some cases, now having grandkids. I fell in love, got married. I fell out of love, got divorced. I’ve had good paying jobs. I’ve had bad paying jobs. I once was hired on the spot during an interview. I once was fired on the spot when my employer reduced staff by 35%. I’ve gone from standing outside a stadium all night to get Springsteen tickets to still seeing Springsteen, but now, with the exception of the first few songs and last few songs, I sit for most of the 3 hour concerts. I’ve gone from a plethora of speeding tickets to…hell, I can’t even remember the last time I got pulled over. I’ve gone from a really bad-ass silver and black Chevy to a nice, conservative four door sedan. I’ve gone from spending hours on a Saturday waxing and washing my car by hand to expelling less energy and going to a drive-thru. I’ve gone from being able to eat an abundance of fast food to avoiding spicy foods so I don’t aggravate my ulcer. I’ve gone from watching MTV and The Cosby Show to watching my cholesterol and my blood pressure. I’ve visited my parents in the hospital several occasions since 1986. And I’ve seen my parents standing at my bedside in a hospital. I once volunteered on a presidential campaign and four years later found myself on the opposite end of the political spectrum, voting against the man I’d fought so hard for. I’ve lost grandmothers, uncles, aunts, cousins. I’ve had one of my best friends die in a car accident, another succumb to cancer at 31.

Not too different from things you’ve also probably encountered. Just…well, just life. And through all of this, I’m still waiting.

Some of you reading this may be too young to remember 1986. Me, and those around my age, can still see in our mind Gary Carter’s fist-pumping curtain calls after going deep, the majestic swing of Darryl Strawberry, Ray Knight clobbering Eric Davis in the head and the cat-like quickness and elegance of Keith Hernandez at 1B. But for those who are too young you only know these images from YouTube. They don’t pull at your heartstrings unless you witnessed it first-hand. Unless you lived it. Same for me who is too young to personally recall 1969 with Agee’s catches, Swoboda’s dive, Seaver’s imperfect game or Cleon Jones dropping to one knee for the final out, something my dad recreated for me dozens of times in our living room in Queens.

And some of you reading this were not even born the last time the Mets won. Hearing about or reading about ground balls to Buckner or the euphoria and feeling of invincibility that filled Shea whenever Doc Gooden took the mound carries little significance. Same goes for me when my dad told me stories about Jackie Robinson stealing home, Sandy Amoros’ catch or Johnny Podres shutting down the mighty Yankees in Game 7 of the ’55 World Series.

There are several excellent bloggers on this site who are hopeful, positive and have no qualms about waiting. They’re young. They’re in college. And I’m actually a touch envious of their optimism when they look into the future. Sadly, they’ve never experienced the jubilation, the exhilaration, the sheer joy of being able to say my Mets are Champions.

It seems like just yesterday I, too, was in college. In October 1986, I was a senior, seven months away from entering the real world. I had my whole life ahead of me, my dreams and hopes still intact. I was certain ’86 would only be the beginning of Mets dominance. Now, nearly thirty years later, I’m still waiting for that encore.

The last time the Mets were presented a World Series trophy I wasn’t even of legal age. And suddenly, somehow, someway, without even realizing, next year I’ll be…gasp…50. I went through my 20’s, my 30’s, and my 40’s waiting. And, per Sandy Alderson, I should wait just a wee bit longer.

One more time, STOP! No matter what your current age is, think of yourself fifteen years from now. Try to picture yourself fifteen years older. Pretty hard to do. But that’s how old we’ll approximately be if David Wright is a first ballot Hall of Famer.

The thing is that we all have only X amount of seasons in us. There’s no clock in Baseball, but there is one in life.

So, I’ll continue to grumble about Alderson, the Wilpons, Terry Collins. As I enter my 42nd year rooting for this team I’ve seen a lot. Over these four plus decades, I’ve gone through 8 GM’s and 16 managers. And after Alderson is gone, after Collins is gone, after the Wilpons are gone (soon, I hope), I’ll still be here, cheering for the Mets into my 50’s just as I’ve been doing since I was 7. I’ll write plenty more blogs critical of the ‘plan.’ But what choice do I really have? I’m not going to switch my allegiance. I’ve got too much time invested in the Mets. I’ve spent my entire life rooting for this team.

I’ll wait. I’ll keep waiting. I’ll keep waiting and hoping. Just like my dad kept waiting to see a fourth championship in his life, I’ll keep waiting for my second.

Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby was once asked what he does all winter. The great 2Bman replied, “I stare out the window and wait for spring.” I am just like Hornsby. No, I don’t have a career 358 BA but I do the same. Unlike most of you, I don’t follow other sports. One tradition I have is viewing Ken Burns’ Baseball to help me survive the endlessly boring winters. A few years back I purchased the “The Tenth Inning,” but hadn’t watched it–until recently.

Hard to believe I was disappointed. True, even a bad Baseball documentary is still good. But this felt more like an ESPN show, not a creation by an award-winning documentarian.

There are several familiar faces that return from the original. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Daniel Okrent, Gerald Early, Thomas Boswell and Bob Costas are back sharing insights. Newcomers include sportswriters Marcus Breton, Howard Bryant, Gary Hoenig, as well as great tales from Keith Olbermann and Mike Barnicle. Chris Rock supplies a few laughs. Bud Selig and Don Fehr are interviewed.

In one of the Special Features both Burns and co-prouder Lynn Novick are interviewed. Burns is a die-hard Red Sox fan, Novick a Yankees fan. Burns stated after his Sox reversed the curse in ’04, he formulated the idea to update the original. And therein lies the problem. This episode covers 1992-2009. However, about 2 ½ of the 4 hours is devoted to only two topics: The Red Sox/Yankee rivalry and steroids.

Granted, these were huge topics over the last 20 years. But as a result numerous other subjects and high points were glossed over or ignored completely.

I’m not downplaying the long lasting effects of the Steroid Era. But I felt far too much emphasis was focused on this topic. The steroids issue was presented in such a way I thought I was watching Dateline.

“The Tenth Inning” was little more than a MLB highlight reel. Gone were the personal stories from those in the game. The only ballplayer interviewed was Pedro Martinez. Felipe Alou appeared briefly in addition to Yankee skipper Joe Torre who received approximately 25 minutes of airtime.

The earlier innings were, by and large, centered on the individual player and his significance to the game. Rarely was a section focused on a ‘team.’ Much of The Fourth Inning, A National Heirloom, was centered on Babe Ruth. A good portion of the Sixth Inning, The National Pastime, was focused on Jackie Robinson. This tenth inning, as a result of overkill on two topics, left many important issues not covered.

After 86 years, Boston finally won the World Series and received endless coverage. On the flipside, the White Sox ended their 88 year drought in 2005 but it was not even mentioned.

In 2003, the Cubs were 5 outs away from returning to the Series for the first time since 1945, possibly winning their first Championship in 95 years. Yes, there was poor old Steve Bartman again. But no time was devoted to the long storied history of Cubs futility. A brief recap of their century long slump would have brought into perspective the fan interference call.

The overkill of Yankees/Red Sox and Steroids left much on the cutting room floor.

The first 9 innings covered the 20th Century. Yet, one of Baseball’s most glorious moments, the 1999 All-Star Game when yes, The All-Century Team was introduced, was not examined. Ted Williams at Fenway. How much better does it get?

The influx of Latin players received a good amount of air-time. Yet, there was no mention of the decline and almost complete disappearance of African-Americans from the field. I found this interesting, especially since, and rightfully so, so much focus throughout the original was paid to Jackie Robinson’s arrival, the fading away of the Negro Leagues and the horrors that black ballplayers such as Hank Aaron and Curt Flood endured decades after the end of The Gentleman’s Agreement.

Two of the most popular broadcasters in history, Jack Buck and Harry Caray, adored by generations of fans in Chicago and St. Louis, died in 2002 and 1998 respectively. Yet, they were omitted. There was nothing said about Baseball returning to the nation’s capital after almost forty years. Nor was the addition of teams in Tampa Bay, Colorado, Miami or Arizona discussed. The D-backs only got mentioned when Burns turned his focus to the 2001 Yankees.

As the bulk of the 4 hours centered on the big market Yankees and Sox, the fact that small market clubs on a shoestring budget, such as Oakland, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Miami remained competitive, was again barely discussed. The Twins, Rays and Marlins with their 2 titles received no air-time.

With the exceptions of the Braves dominant Big Three and the high profile trio of McGwire, Sosa and Bonds, many other great players from the last 20+ years were non-existent.

Ken Griffey Jr, one of the most loved players of his generation appeared on the cover of the DVD but only was briefly mentioned in the opening minutes. Admired Kirby Puckett, who retired early due to injuries, became one of the youngest players enshrined in Cooperstown and tragically died at 45 years old, was absent. Tony Gwynn’s 338 career BA may have been the highest of the last half-century but apparently that wasn’t worthy of being highlighted. One glaring and unbelievable lapse relates to the greatest lead-off hitter ever. Rickey Henderson is the all-time leader in SB’s (1406), runs, (2295), lead-off HR’s (81) and unintentional walks (2129.) He was rarely out on the bases but he was out of The Tenth Inning.

One part of The Tenth Inning was almost laughable. Burns and Novick highlighted the arrival of Ichiro Suzuki, the first Japanese position player. It underscored the fact that in the midst of balls flying out of ballparks, a slap hitter won the admiration of fans coast to coast. They made mention of his All-Star game appearances, numerous Gold Gloves and Batting titles. However, while praising Ichiro, they completely failed to include the fact he set the record for most hits in a season (262), a mark that had stood for 84 seasons. To discuss Ichiro without acknowledging his crowning achievement was a monumental blunder.

As for our beloved Mets? Well, let’s be honest. The period 1992-2009 wasn’t a great run for us. However, we were ignored entirely. In the Seventh Inning, The Capital of Baseball (1950-1959), that entire episode centered on New York’s dominance and that seemingly every October there was a Subway Series. Yet, in 2000, when the first Subway Series occurred in four and a half decades, this too was omitted.

Being a New Yorker and Mets fan I was greatly disturbed about the way 9/11 was portrayed. After the Towers were shown on fire and crumbling, the next baseball scene was the Yankees playing the White Sox with Chicagoans holding ‘We Love New York’ signs. There was no mention of the first post-9/11 game in New York, which happened at Shea and not even a mention of Piazza’s HR that healed a city. To add insult to injury, in one of the special features, Joe Torre was talking about how he and some of his players visited families of numerous victims. I’m not playing one-upmanship with regards to a horrific event. But I found it slightly appalling that a filmmaker with the credentials of Ken Burns would emphasize the role of one NY team while completely ignoring the other. A casual fan would think the Mets went the way of the Washington Senators after 1986.

To illustrate the above point, one part focused on how the game got away from the cookie-cutter stadiums of the 60’s and 70’s and built new parks with a retro field. 19 of 30 teams built new homes starting in 1990. If you recall the original documentary, much emphasis was placed on the lore and homey feeling of Ebbets Field. Yet, when the Mets build a retro stadium with an exterior that replicates the Dodgers home, that too, is avoided.

Interestingly, one problem the game has faced over the last generation is the widening gap between big markets and small markets. Yet, Mr. Burns perpetuated that in ‘The Tenth Inning’ by focusing on Boston and New York while largely ignoring everyone else.

It was a part of the game. Tom Seaver would allow no runs and just 3 hits through 8 innings. Tug McGraw would strikeout the side in the 9th on just nine pitches for the save. Rusty Staub and Cleon Jones each got 3 hits, John Milner went deep, Buddy Harrelson made several diving stops and Jerry Grote threw out at least 3 or 4 base runners. Okay, okay, memories get embellished and exaggerated over time. But one thing remains a FACT.

No Mets victory was complete without Kiner’s Korner. It was a part of the game.

In 1973 I was 7 years old. The team I rooted for was 11 years old. There was no greatness associated with the blue and orange. Seaver would have a shot at Cooperstown but he wasn’t even 30 years old. To this young fan, the Mets only link to past prominence was through one of our broadcasters.

Ralph McPherran Kiner was born in Santa Rita, NM on October 27, 1922. His father died when he was 4 and his family relocated to Alhambra, CA. His minor league career was put on hold when he served as a Navy pilot during WW II. Ralph downplayed his military service. Upon returning stateside, when asked if he saw any action in the Pacific, he replied, “I didn’t even see any whales.”

The 1920’s had Ruth and Gehrig. The ‘30’s had Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott. The ‘60’s would have Aaron, Mays and Killebrew. The 70’s belonged to Reggie Jackson and Mike Schmidt. But for the late 40’s and early 50’s there was no prolific HR hitter more feared and more respected than Ralph Kiner.

He made his debut with Pittsburgh on April 12, 1946. Had there been a Rookie of the Year back then Ralph likely would have won. His 23 HR’s led the league. He knocked in 81 for a team that finished seventh.

Despite his power, management was unhappy with his 109 whiffs, an exorbitant amount for that period. And so they had their 24 year old slugger work with legendary Hank Greenberg. The following year Kiner exploded. He hit 51 HR’s, good enough to lead all of Baseball while raising his BA nearly 70 points to 313.

Two years later, 1949, Kiner almost broke a record fans thought would stand forever. He ended the season with 54 HR’s, 6 short of Ruth’s mark and just 2 shy of the NL record. The 54 would remain most in the NL until the steroids era.

“Ralph can wipe out your lead with one swing of a bat.”—Warren Spahn

Ralph became the first player in NL history to reach the 50 HR mark twice. He led the league in HR’s 7 straight years. For 5 consecutive years (1947-1951) he topped 40 HR’s and 100 RBI’s, stats made more impressive when you take into account the fact the weak hitting Pirates rarely had men on base and no protection behind him. When the Pirates were losing badly, something they did a lot, fans would stay just to see one more AB by Kiner. He is one of only seven players in history to have four 30 HR/100 RBI seasons in his first five years. The left field porch at Forbes Field was dubbed Kiner’s Korner.

In June 1953, a salary dispute between Ralph and GM Branch Rickey came to a head. The best power hitter in the game wanted a raise from $75,000. What he got instead was traded to Chicago as part of a 10 player swap. Rickey famously told Ralph, “We finished last with you. We can finish last without you.” Ralph went deep 28 times and knocked in 87 in 117 games.

The following year, his power decreased due to irksome back injuries. It was bizarre. Whereas most players waited until Spring Training to get in shape, Ralph stayed fit and worked out all winter. He hit 285, but went deep only 22 times, the lowest total of his career. He was traded to Cleveland where he offered to take a 38% pay cut. He felt he didn’t deserve more.

The back injury worsened in 1955. He considered surgery but the operation only had a 50% success rate. A positive outcome would fully heal him. Failure would leave him paralyzed. Ralph had invested wisely, earned a lot doing what he loved. At age 32, after 10 seasons, he retired from Baseball with 369 HR’s, 1015 RBI’s, a 279 BA and 548 slugging average. His 7.1 HR/100 AB’s was second most in history, trailing only Ruth.

He became GM for the Indians AAA team and to save money decided to announce the games himself. After several years in San Diego and a brief stint in Chicago, Ralph headed east in 1962 where he became part of a new team called the Mets. Along with Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy, Ralph would become one-third of the longest broadcasting trio in history: 19 years.

Shortly after being hired at WOR Channel 9, in an interview Ralph expressed remorse about not breaking Ruth’s record of 60. He felt that his relatively brief career would go unappreciated and fade into history. And so he intended to stay with WOR as long as possible. He hoped his legacy off the field would supersede his career on the field. Ralph would stay part of the Mets team in one capacity or another for fifty three years, third longest stint with one club ever.

Like the team they broadcast, they were an eclectic bunch. Unusual. Lindsey Nelson’s multi-colored sport suits pushed the newfangled technology of color TV to its breaking point. His play-by-play was as smooth as silk, fluent. He seemingly never made a mistake. Bob Murphy was an artist, painting pictures with words and with the eloquent cadence of a master.

And then…there was Ralph.

On the field, he was one of the best. Behind the microphone, he was…well, he was Ralph. He had immense knowledge of the game, mesmerizing personal stories. He explained the art of hitting in simple yet entertaining terms that any young fan could comprehend. Ralph Kiner knew how to play Baseball. He knew how to discuss Baseball. But sometimes, his words came out differently than they sounded in his mind. He was Yogi Berra of the booth. His malapropisms were legendary, humorous and laugh-out-loud funny at times. You listened to Lindsey to enjoy the game, Bob to relish an enjoyable afternoon. But Ralph? You listened extra closely, just to see what he’d mess up next.

But we didn’t care. We treasured Ralph and for his foibles, faults and mistakes, he was lovable. Just like the Mets. He wasn’t as refined as his colleagues. Not even close. But that made him more real, more down to earth. One of us. He made the game personal and friendly. Ironically, it was this least polished of the trio who produced the most memorable in-game play by play catchphrase: That ball is going going, gone, goodbye.

He once referred to catcher Gary Carter as Gary Cooper. He called his sidekick Tim MacArthur instead of Tim McCarver. And there were others. Many many others.

On Father’s Day, we wish you fathers all a Happy Birthday.

If Casey Stengel were alive today, he’d be spinning in his grave.

The Hall of Fame ceremonies this year will be held on the 31st and 32nd of July.

Tony Gwynn was named Player of the Year for April.

Kevin McReynolds stops at third. And he scores.

The Mets have gotten their lead-off batter on only once this inning.

Darryl Strawberry has been voted to the Hall of Fame five years in a row.

Mazzilli goes back, goes back, his head hits the wall. And it’s rolling toward left field.

Good afternoon. Thanks for tuning in to Kiner’s Korner. I’m Ralph Korner.

Kiner’s Korner was the icing on the cake after a home victory. For fifteen minutes, Ralph would chat with the star pitcher or big hitter from that game. They’d replay at-bats pitch by pitch, discuss a big catch or why the pitcher threw a 2-2 curve ball.

It was a different time. We didn’t get canned answers from players sitting in front of their locker with a bank of cameras and microphones surrounding them. Unlike so-called ‘sports reporters’ nowadays, Ralph didn’t rephrase the same question nine different ways. There was no gotcha journalism. He wasn’t looking for a sound bite. He was talking Baseball, a dialogue between one of the all-time greats and that day’s star.

Kiner’s Korner was unscripted. And that made it real. You weren’t watching a TV program but rather eavesdropping on a conversation in your living room between Ralph and Jerry Koosman.

Tom Seaver would discuss the art of pitching, sometimes emitting that unforgettable Seaver laugh. Cleon Jones would sit there and mostly give one word answers, never comfortable in the spotlight. Rusty Staub was the consummate professional. Tug McGraw would display that broad smile. Felix Millan never got a follow-up question because…it seemed like Ralph was always thrown off by Millan’s heavy accent.

But even Kiner’s Korner got off to a dubious start. Shortly after it became a regular post-game feature following a Mets win, Ralph interviewed manager Casey Stengel. After the live broadcast ended, Stengel shook hands with Ralph, stood and departed back to the locker room. However, Casey forgot he was hooked to a mic and as he walked away the wires and such tangled, collapsing the cardboard walls that served as a backdrop and destroying the makeshift set.

In 1996, Ralph announced he was suffering Bell’s Palsy. His speech was slurred and as years passed, it became somewhat difficult to understand him. Almost painful. But again, we didn’t care. Ralph was one of us. Howie Rose stated yesterday, “Ralph was royalty. And you don’t throw the king overboard until he’s done.”

Ralph Kiner was 91 years old when he slipped away Thursday. He leaves behind five children and twelve grandchildren. His number 4 was retired by the Pirates. A statue of him stands in Alhambra. He was an RBI champion, 6-time All-Star, 7-time NL HR King. He is a Hall of Famer. He was the best hitter in the game for nearly a decade. Loved by fans, admired by teammates, feared yet respected by those competing against him. He’d been with our team since 1962, a true original Met. He was funny, personable, entertaining, intelligent. He spent more than 70 years doing what he loved. And in spite of his self-doubt, his legacy does live on. He’s now reunited with the other two members of the Mets original broadcast team, talking Baseball and catching up. Baseball historian Marty Noble called him, “One of Baseball’s genuine and most charming gentlemen.”

But to us, he’ll always be Ralph.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/02/featured-post-some-kiner-wonderful.html/feed/0MMO Flashback: A Death In The Mets Familyhttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/a-death-in-the-mets-family-jane-jarvis-passes-away.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/a-death-in-the-mets-family-jane-jarvis-passes-away.html/#commentsSat, 25 Jan 2014 13:39:21 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=20139An MMO Flashback remembering the passing of beloved and iconic Mets organist, Jane Jarvis, who passed away on this day in 2010. Enjoy…

When one thinks back to the Mets of the 1960’s and 70’s, certain images come to mind: Casey Stengel, Tom Seaver, Tug McGraw pounding his glove on his leg, black cats, Miracles, fans ripping up the field and so forth.

Off the field, however, there were others who were just as much a part of Shea Stadium folklore. One such Mets icon was organist Jane Jarvis. Miss Jarvis died on January 25, 2010 in Englewood, NJ. She was 94.

Just as the performing of The National Anthem or singing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ is a deep seeded Baseball tradition, so was Jane playing ‘Meet The Mets’ on her organ for us Mets fans. As those first few notes filled the air in Flushing and the Mets took the field we all knew it was time to ‘Play Ball.’

At just 5 years old Jane was considered a piano prodigy. Her family relocated to Gary, Indiana and at 12 she was playing the piano at radio station WKJS. However, just one year later, she was orphaned when both her parents were killed when their car was struck by a train.

In 1954 Jane was given her own TV show in Milwaukee entitled ‘Jivin’ With Jarvis’ where she was allowed to create and pursue her first love: Jazz Music. It was at this time when the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee. They were looking for an organist and hired Jane. She was reluctant to take the position due to the fact that she knew absolutely nothing about sports, especially Baseball. During her interview she asked the Braves executive, ‘When do I get to play?’ The Braves employee replied, ‘Whenever a team gets three outs.’ Jane looked at the man with a quizzical expression and asked, ‘When is that?’

She stayed with the Braves for eight years before moving to New York in 1962 where she took a position with the Muzak corporation as a staff composer and arranger. She would quickly ascend the corporate ladder and become Vice President.

As the Mets prepared to debut their new home in 1964, they decided to draw on yet another tradition of NY’s baseball past. The Dodgers organist, Gladys Gooding, developed a fan following and became a huge part of Ebbets Field history. The Mets wanted to do the same and brought Jane on board.

Although she remained working at Muzak until 1978 during her stint as Mets organist, she became an integral and unforgettable part of our club. She was as much a part of the Shea Experience as the Sign Man Karl Ehrhardt and even Mr. Met himself. She worked for us almost as long as our original broadcast team of Bob Murphy, Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner.

On June 13th, 1977, during the 6th inning of a game against the Cubs, the city was besieged by a massive blackout. Shea was suddenly thrust into darkness. Total blackness stretched as far as one could see in all directions. However, as strange as it was, Jane’s vintage Thomas’Organ was not affected. Sitting in total darkness, blinded by blackness, Jane began playing upbeat tunes in a attempt to calm the nerves of frightened fans.

Jane came full circle with the Mets. In 1964, we were in last place. She was there for the Miracle in ’69 and the pennant in ’73. But by 1979 the Mets were once again in the cellar. Nelson Doubleday bought the Mets in 1980 and GM Frank Cashen was determined to make serious changes to the team. One such change was to start playing pre-recorded music rather than sticking with the traditional organ playing. After 16 seasons Jane was uneventfully let go. Organ music would never again be heard at Shea.

She remained in the city performing Jazz at various nightclubs. She is credited with having written or co-written over 300 compositions as well as recording several albums. Her final jazz album was entitled ‘Atlantic/Pacific’ which was released in 2000. She was 85 years old at the time.

In 2003, now living in Cocoa Beach, FL, she was given a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Space Coast Jazz Society. But she missed the culture and excitement of The Big Apple. She decided to forego the warm Florida weather and moved back. In 2008, however, Jane was forced to vacate her home on E 50th St when a construction crane collapsed and damaged her apt. She spent the last months of her life residing at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, NJ. She passed away on January 25th, 2010 at 94 years old. She leaves behind 1 son, 1 daughter, several grandchildren and great grandchildren. And also memories to millions of fans who can still hearken back to the days of their youth and hear Miss Jarvis playing ‘Meet The Mets.’

“I cant even bear to think about it,” stated Jane in 2008 as sadness came over her. Her voice cracked. Her eyes watered up. Her beloved Shea would soon be torn down. She hoped that perhaps the Wilpons would welcome her back to Shea for one final visit. Mets management spent much of that season bringing back historical figures from our past. But the phone call never came. However, she harbored no hard feelings towards the Wilpons since she never really worked for them. “I’m 93 years old,” she stated and then added with a smile, “And no matter what, I’ve had an amazin’ life.”

Rest in Peace, Jane. And Thanks for the Memories.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/a-death-in-the-mets-family-jane-jarvis-passes-away.html/feed/0Mike Piazza: Out of The Cage and Into the Metsmerized Hall of Famehttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/mike-piazza-out-of-the-cage-and-into-the-metsmerized-hall-of-fame.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/mike-piazza-out-of-the-cage-and-into-the-metsmerized-hall-of-fame.html/#commentsTue, 07 Jan 2014 18:00:25 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=139011

The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!

Russ Hodges’ broadcast of Bobby Thomson’s home run is the most famous call in Major League Baseball’s long history. On August 11, 1951, the Dodgers held an insurmountable 13 game lead over their arch enemies. Down the stretch Brooklyn played well, 26-22. The Giants, however, were a team possessed. They went 37-7 and New York’s 2 NL teams ended the season tied, 96-58. A three-game playoff was held to determine who would oppose the AL in the Fall Classic.

The first two games were split. But then in the deciding game, Thomson’s 3-run homer in the bottom of the ninth gave the Giants the win, the pennant and the birth to that iconic phrase shouted by Hodges.

The world? A bit of an exaggeration really. It was a decisive home run to settle a pennant race between two teams whose stadiums were only 15 miles away from each other. The World???

Almost 50 years to the day, there would be a home run hit in New York, a home run that truly would be a shot heard ‘round the world. It would occur in a stadium not yet even built, by a team not yet even in existence, off the bat of a player not yet even born.

Michael Joseph Piazza was born to Vince and Veronica in Norristown, PA on Sept 4, 1968, the second oldest of five boys. Vince had dreamed of making the majors but dropped out of school at age 16 to help support his family. Vince’s childhood friend, Tommy Lasorda, became Dodgers manager and Mike’s Godfather. When LA played in Philadelphia, young Mike frequently served as bat-boy. Vince also asked his friend Ted Williams to work with his son. Williams praised the young man’s talents and advised him, ‘Don’t ever let anyone change your swing.’ Growing up in the cold harsh winters of the northeast, Mike could be found clearing snow in the backyard so his father could pitch to him. Winters be damned.

In 1988, Lasorda’s Godson was drafted number 1,390 overall. He convinced Piazza to forego his position, first base, and learn to catch, claiming catchers were always in higher demand. On Sept.1, 1992, 23-year old Mike Piazza made his major league debut. And doubled in his first official at-bat.

Piazza not only became one of the best hitting catchers in the game, but additionally one of the games’ best righthanded hitters. Period. In 1993, he hit .318 with 35 home runs and 112 RBIs and won the NL Rookie of the Year award. There was no sophomore slump for the young kid and the following season he would bat .319. In five years with Los Angeles, Piazza clobbered 168 HR’s, averaged .336, knocked in 526 RB’s and slugged at a .582 clip.

There are good players, great players, and very great players. And then there are players who simply instill fear in their opponent. For my grandfather, a young man and Brooklyn fan in the 1920’s, it was the likes of Rogers Hornsby and Frankie Frisch. For my father, there was nothing more frightening than Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra bringing their big bats to little Ebbets Field every October. For me, in the 1970’s, I was fearful every time Willie Stargell windmilled his bat and Joe Morgan cocked his back arm, something my friends and I mimicked in schoolyards and makeshift baseball fields in Queens. By the 90’s, names like Bonds, Griffey Jr, Gwynn and Piazza could be added to the list. But now, for the first time ever, one of these players would be on my team.

Mike Piazza arrived in New York on May 22, 1998 in exchange for Preston Wilson, Ed Yarnall, Geoff Goetz and Nick Daly. He would hit .348 the rest of that season while going deep 23 times and knocking in 78 RBIs. The Mets played .542 baseball after his arrival, missing the wildcard by just a game and a half.

With Piazza behind the plate for the entire ‘99 campaign, the Mets returned to the post-season for the first time in more than a decade. In 2000, they did it again, capturing the NL pennant. For the one and only time in our history, the Amazins were in the playoffs two consecutive years. This, in and of itself, is a true testament to the value and importance of Mike Piazza. One player can—and did—make a difference.

In the 70’s, the Mets had the most formidable trio of starters in the league. Yet, we never made the post-season two straight years. We had a ‘dynasty’ in the 80’s, but failed to play into consecutive Octobers. And let’s admit it; the 98-00 Mets did not even come close to possessing the talent of previous successful clubs. Al Leiter was good…but he was no Seaver. Timo Perez? Not a bad lead-off hitter, but Lenny Dykstra he wasn’t. We liked Benny Agbayani, but we loved Darryl Strawberry. The difference: Mike Piazza.

During the 2000 NLCS, as the Mets handily defeated STL in 5, Mets coach John Stearns was caught on camera screaming defiantly, “The monster is out of the cage! The monster is out of the cage!” in response to Piazza getting a big hit.

Over eight seasons in New York, Piazza established himself as one of the premier hitters to wear the blue and orange. He stands at or near the top of every offensive category. His slugging percentage of .542 is highest ever. His 655 RBIs rank third, 220 HR (3rd), .296 BA (4th), .373 OBP (5th), 193 doubles (7th), 1028 hits (8th), 532 runs (10th).

Loved by fans and feared by opposing pitchers, his stint in Flushing is best remembered for two events.

In 2000, Mike was the recipient of a Roger Clemens fastball to the head. Shattered helmet. Concussion. A missed All-Star Game. In October, the Piazza-led Mets were in the World Series for the first time since 1986. When these two men faced each other, Piazza broke his bat. The sheared off edge landed close to the mound. As Piazza trotted to first base, Clemens angrily scooped up the broken piece of wood and tossed the weapon at Mike. Piazza shouted to Clemens. Clemens shouted back. The two men approached each other. Both benches emptied and although there were no punches thrown, the Mets-Yankees rivalry nearly became an all-out brawl.

Clemens claimed he thought the bat was the ball and was simply tossing the ‘ball’ out of play. After 17 years in the majors and tossing 3,600+ innings, one would think Clemens would know the difference between a baseball and a bat…but that’s another story.

As inconceivable as Clemens actions were, 11 months later something even more unimaginable transpired.

Like our grandparents on December 7, 1941 and like our parents on November 22, 1963, it was now our generation that lost its innocence. This wasn’t a navy base 3000 miles off the coast of California in a place called Pearl Harbor. This didn’t occur on a grassy knoll in Dallas. This happened in our city, to our home. This wasn’t an attack on the military, nor was it centered around one man who happened to be President. This was an attack on fellow Americans. Citizens. Regular people like you and me. Americans who kissed their spouse, said good-bye to their children and went to work downtown like it was any other Tuesday. This time the weapon was not a Japanese Zero or a cheap Carcano Rifle. This time the destruction came from hijacked commercial airlines.

On one beautiful weekday morning, everything we knew changed. Forever. The nation we grew up in would, from this day forward, be unlike the nation our children would grow up in. The US constitution would be bent, our way of life altered eternally. We found ourselves giving up freedoms and privacy so we could continue to maintain our freedom and privacy. President Bush urged a weary and panicked nation to go on. Failure to do so would mean the terrorists won. But how?

Did anyone really give a damn about Barry Bonds’ pursuit of a silly home run record? In the overall scheme of things did it really matter if best friends Ross and Rachel got together? Regis asking contestants, “Would you like to use a lifeline?’ seemed trivial.

We were advised to return to our lives as if nothing happened. Impossible. Even the national pastime had come to a halt. For a while…

But on September 21, 2011, the game we cherished, was back. It was the first post- 9/11 sporting event to take place in grief-stricken New York. A late September contest against the Braves should’ve garnered undivided attention and exuberant chants of “Lets Go Mets.” But it didn’t.

Fans at Shea kept one cautious eye on the field and one wary eye to the sky as planes landed at nearby LaGuardia. A few miles west powerful lights representing where the Towers once stood shone a pristine white glow toward Heaven.

When Mike sent a Steve Karsay offering over the wall to left-center in the bottom of the 8th, it gave the Mets a 3-2 lead and ultimately the win. It moved us within 4 ½ of the first place Braves. But it was more than just that, much more.

It was the first step on a long road back. We could begin healing. We could, albeit slowly, return to living our lives once again.

The world? If there truly was a Shot Heard ‘Round the World, it occurred in 2001, not 1951. Thomson’s homer brought hope to a team’s fans. Piazza’s home run brought hope to an entire city. And returned a sense of normalcy to a frightened nation that now stared into the abyss of an uncertain future.

The location of Thomson’s HR was long ago replaced by apartment buildings. The stadium where Piazza hit that significant blast no longer stands, a parking lot now in its place. Two towers have been replaced by one.

The Polo Grounds, Shea Stadium and the Twin Towers have been forever erased from the landscape. However, they, like Piazza’s stint in New York, continue to live on in our hearts, our minds and our collective memory.

We ask you to leave your best memories and most heartfelt recollections of Mike Piazza in our comment threads s we cross our fingers and hope for some great news by way of Cooperstown, New York on Wednesday, January 8th.

]]>http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/mike-piazza-out-of-the-cage-and-into-the-metsmerized-hall-of-fame.html/feed/0The Long And The Short On Carlos Beltranhttp://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/the-long-and-the-short-on-carlos-beltran.html/
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/01/the-long-and-the-short-on-carlos-beltran.html/#commentsWed, 01 Jan 2014 22:33:17 +0000http://metsmerizedonline.com/?p=136202

The Baseball Gods smiled down on Flushing all season. It seemed more than just a coincidence that as the Mets paid homage to the ‘86 Championship, 20 years later we were destined to again make the dream come true. The ’06 Mets played with confidence and swagger. David Wright was a clean-cut leader, an athlete your kids could look up to, a la Gary Carter. Speedy and much-loved Jose Reyes batted lead-off as did speedy and much loved Mookie Wilson. Paul Lo Duca had a fiery intensity that conjured up images of Ray Knight. Yes, 2006, just like 1986, was a mere formality.

Shockingly, as the 86 club had found itself struggling against an inferior Houston team, the ’06 Mets were also fighting for survival against the pesky St. Louis Cardinals. When Endy Chavez robbed Scott Rolen of a HR to keep the score tied at 1-1, it was clear this one iconic image would live forever in Mets folklore: Tommie Agee in 69, Jesse Orosco on his knees in 86, Endy against the wall in 06. It would be the one play that would shift momentum back in our favor and carry us to Detroit in the World Series. Endy’s catch, however, was nothing more than premature celebration.

One hour later, Shea was deathly quiet. Fans stared in shock as the unimaginable happened. Carlos Beltran –post-season legend, our highest paid player, the guy you’d want at-bat with the game on the line — was paralyzed by a knee-buckling curveball. The bat never left his shoulder. As I watched the Cardinals rejoice I stared in disbelief. Seeing is believing—but not in this case. At that moment, I wanted to leap through my TV and choke the daylights out of Beltran.

We were confident there’d be other chances, other post-seasons, other opportunities. But seven years later and the Mets have failed to come as close as they had that October night.

With the exception of perhaps only Gregg Jefferies no other player brings out more passionate opinions.

Beltran is back in NY. But he’ll be wearing pinstripes this time. During his press conference, when asked about the Mets, Beltran voiced his own strong opinion: ”I can deal with 0-for-4s and three strikeouts and talking to you guys. I can deal with that,” Beltran said. “When somebody is trying to hurt you in a personal way, trying to put things out there that are not me, we have trouble.”

“You cannot believe the organization that signed you for seven years is trying to put you down. In that aspect, I felt hurt. I’m a player but they don’t only hurt me, they hurt my family, they hurt people around me. It wasn’t right, put it that way.”

Cue the Beltran bashing.

Here on MMO as well social media, Mets “fans” have resorted to insulting him, blaming him and using language that’s not family friendly. Yes, Carlos Beltran was our highest paid star. And yes, he was brought here to bring us a championship. However, he is not the first, nor will he be the last, to earn big bucks and not win it all. Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Ernie Banks, Ken Griffey Jr, Ralph Kiner, Rod Carew, Willie McCovey, Tony Gwynn, Harmon Killebrew, Nap Lajoie, Craig Biggio and Don Sutton all earned huge amounts of money while hoping to lead their team to a Series victory. Yet, none of them did. However, these men are idolized as heroes. But not Beltran. Even though, in the next 10 years, he will join all of them in Cooperstown.

During his stint here, Beltran put up impressive numbers, compiling some of the best stats in Mets history. From 05-08, he hit 117 HR’s while plating 418 RBI’s and maintaining a respectable .275 BA. Only Keith Hernandez has won more Gold Gloves as a Met. His 41 round-trippers tied him with Todd Hundley for most in a season. His 127 runs scored is a team record. He declared one spring “The Mets are the team to beat.” And although his prediction did not pan out, wouldn’t it be nice to again hear that kind of confidence? From 05-08, Beltran’s most productive seasons, the Mets averaged 89 wins. In 2009, when he missed half the season due to injuries, the Mets won just 70. Coincidence?

True, it was Beltran’s stationary AB in Game 7 that closed the curtain on 2006. However, without his 41 HRs, 116 RBI’s, 38 doubles and 18 steals in 21 attempts, we don’t even get to Game 7, much less the post-season.

In the 2006 LCS, Beltran hit .296 with 3 HR’s and 4 RBI’s. By comparison, David Wright batted .160 with a .276 OBP and 2 RBI’s.

However, it’s Beltran that’s caught the ire of fans, He’s the whipping boy, the poster child of failure simply because he didn’t connect on a pitch that Stan Musial couldn’t have hit, a pitch thrown by a guy who would go on to be one of the top pitchers in the NL. But because he had the misfortune of being #3 in our batting order, he sucks!

By that logic, he’s in good company. Here are some others players who “suck.”

Has anyone ever sucked more than Mike Piazza? He made the final out not in the LCS, but in the WORLD SERIES!!! And to the Yankees??? He really sucks, doesn’t he? Let’s not forget the guy with the mustache. Yes, that guy. Keith Hernandez hit a paltry 231 in the ’86 series and after making the second out in the bottom of the 10th in Game 6, he promptly walked into the clubhouse, removed his jersey and was gulping a beer as teammate Gary Carter walked to the plate. I guess Keith couldn’t wait to do some crossword puzzles, right? And would any discussion about Mets who suck be complete without including Doc Gooden? Gooden lost 2 of the 3 games to Boston, posting an ERA of 8.00 and allowing 17 hits in 9IP. That’s an ace? He REALLY must suck.

Baseball history is filled with players who suck. Beltran is just the latest one.

In 1952, the Dodgers lost to, who else, the Yankees, in 7 games. Gil Hodges went an unheard of 0-21. One measly hit, one little Texas leaguer anytime during the course of a week and Dem Bums defeat the hated Yankees. Boy, that Hodges guy sucks.

But sucking goes back further. In the 9th inning of game 7 of the 1926 World Series, with his team losing 3-2, Babe Ruth was thrown out trying to steal 2b. It’s the only time a Fall Classic ended that way. And Ruth’s caught stealing took the bat out of the hands of Lou Gehrig! Wow, no wonder he’s known as The Sultan of Suck.

Carlos Beltran now joins many former Mets who spent their later career in the Bronx. Gooden, Strawberry and David Cone all played for the Yankees after establishing themselves in Flushing. Gooden, Strawberry and Cone all went on to get a ring while playing in the Bronx.

It’s obvious Carlos felt disrespected by the Mets front office. Join the group, Carlos. We’re fans and get disrespected by that same front office.

He was vilified for skipping a visit to Walter Reed Medical Center due to a scheduling conflict, even though he’d already agreed to appear at a charity event in his native Puerto Rico. Despite the fact Reyes and Wright also were no-shows, it was Beltran who caught the brunt of ownership’s wrath.

Can anyone blame Carlos for feeling unappreciated by management? In 2011, Mets owner Fred Wilpon called his own team “shi**y.” About Jose Reyes, Wilpon said, “(Reyes) ain’t worth Carl Crawford money because he’s always injured.” He called David Wright, “a nice guy and very good but not a superstar.”

And in regards to signing Beltran for 7 years/$119 Wilpon called himself “a schmuck” for doing it.

A schmuck. Finally! For the first time in years, I find myself agreeing with Fred Wilpon on something.